Surrender
by Shadow of an Echo
Summary: The Captains are called to a meeting, where they expect another potentially boring update on the peacetime happenings in the soul society. What they find is anything but. Ichigo is back, only he isn't alone, but his companion is a little, ah, different than usual. For one he is a lot smaller, and oh yeah, they are going to have to wait until he's born to meet him! Yaoi and Mpreg.
1. Possession

**Surrender**

**Shadow of an Echo**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach it belongs to Tite Kubo.

**Summary:** The Captains are called to a meeting, where they expect another potentially boring update on the peacetime happenings in the soul society. What they find is anything but. Ichigo is back, only he isn't alone, but his companion is a little, ah, different than usual. Yaoi, Mpreg, KenIchi.

**Rating: MATURE**

**Warnings: YAOI! **This is not a pure smut fic, but there will be sex between two men. **Mpreg,** which means a male will be carrying a baby, it will be explained plausibly (relative to the Bleach universe) but it will still happen. Also I do not write rape between my main pairings, but the two personalities I am working with here are strong, and they both enjoy a challenge, so they will not be engaging in vanilla type sex. I don't write extremely graphic sex scenes, but there will be pleasure/pain and other aspects of non-gentle lovemaking.

I guess it should also be mentioned that Ichigo will be different from canon, I don't really consider this ooc, rather he is simply older and has had more time to gather his confidence. He isn't fifteen anymore, that's all.

**A/N **I haven't abandoned anything, but this plot attacked me. I have the first couple thousand words written on three different chapters for current stories, but when I sat down to finish one this kept popping into my head. I wasn't going to get anything else updated until I wrote it out, so here you go. There is no real intense plot, but I wouldn't call it fluffy either, not with the characters I'm working with. I'm just having fun with this one, so I don't anticipate it being much longer than 15-20 chapters.

**Chapter One**

**Possession**

Twelve people in white haoris were lined up in front of Head-Captain Yamamoto. The strongest fighters, and the best minds, the Seireitei had to offer; each one guiding a portion of the Shinigami that made up the Gotei 13. Yamamoto never expected that number to include three people who were each half of the very creature they were all trained to hunt down and kill but the Visoreds had earned their spots back, many times over. The other hybrids were all back in the Soul Society as well even if they couldn't retain their old positions since they had been filled since their leaving. They had been given teaching positions at the academy, training the new recruits to be strong and fair.

It had been five years since the winter war, three since they had given Ichigo Kurosaki his power back, and the twenty year old Substitute Soul Reaper was back, but only the Head Captain knew that was why the meeting had been called. Normally when Ichigo showed up, he just came and visited his friends, he didn't bother with all this formality. Yet the boy had come to Yamamoto with a serious expression on his young face replacing the usual scowl, he had something he needed to share with the Captains, as it would affect his ability to perform his duties in the Living World and he would need permission to stay in Soul Society for a while. The stubborn brat wouldn't even tell Yamamoto what it was until everyone was together; he didn't want to say it more than he had to apparently.

So the Head Captain had him wait in the next room while his subordinates gathered, the mass of collected Spiritual Pressure in the room covering the substitute's, as Ichigo had been steadily learning control over the past few years of peace.

When the Captains were all there, and the first to arrive were starting to shift restlessly at the wait, Yamamoto called out, "Substitute Shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki, come forward and state your reasons for summoning this meeting."

Ichigo heard him through the thin paper door, and calmly walked out, he had gone over this meeting so many times in his head he was pretty sure the only thing that he hadn't imagined yet was thirteen fire breathing dragons, so this room of people he knew, fought side by side, and back to back with was nothing too daunting. Well, yet. He kept his steps simple and measured until he was facing Yamamoto, even with the Captains from Squad Two and Three, Soi Fon and Rose. For once, he actually showed some respect and inclined his head to the extremely aged Shinigami, "Thank you for calling this meeting, it's important." He started out, not sure where to go from there.

Yamamoto realized this, and knew if they were going to get anywhere, he needed to prompt him. "You stated earlier you may be unable to carry out your Shinigami duties, why is that the case? You appear healthy and uninjured."

Ichigo's reaction was a bit odd, he slowly lifted his head, running a hand down his stomach to smooth down his Shihakusho. The three Captains with a decent enough view could see what the motion revealed, and for the rest the words that followed filled them in, "I'm pregnant." He didn't say it loudly, but you could have heard a pin drop after them the statement struck so hard.

Well Yamamoto couldn't say he hadn't thought it might have been a possibility with the way the young Shinigami had been avoiding his questions. "We will dispatch another Shinigami in your place while you stay here for the child." Yamamoto allowed, the first to speak, and seeing Ichigo breathe a nearly silent sigh of relief. "There are a few things to take care of next, first thing is, Captain Unohana, please come here and do a brief scan to make sure a deeper check is not immediately necessary." Yamamoto ordered, though Retsu might just be the only Captain that his orders sounded a whole lot more like requests.

With the summons, Retsu stepped out of line between Soi Fon and Byakuya, walking serenely towards Ichigo. "It's alright, this is going to feel warm, and maybe a little ticklish." She reassured as her hands began to glow softly with the scanning Kido.

"I trust you," Ichigo replied simply, but Retsu understood they weren't words he said often, so she nodded in acknowledgement of the respect.

Ichigo was not showing a whole lot yet. He didn't have a full on baby bump, but the defined abs were gone, and in their place where there might have been flab if the lack of muscle was the result of no training; he was firm and solid with the beginnings of a curve. When Retsu put her hand over the little bulge, it did feel warm and tingly, and was altogether pleasant.

She left her hands there for a few moments, a soft smile on her face that steadily widened, until the normally completely composed and sedate Captain broke out in peals of bell like laughter. Through the pretty sound, she was able to ask, "Ichigo that spiritual pressure, the father is…?" She trailed off, but there could be no doubt she was feeling a distinctly familiar essence flooding her senses, and Ichigo would know she would recognize it.

His lips twitched up in a smirk, "Yeah." He confirmed.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun, but I do think I should add a few extra beds to my healing units. If anyone even looks at this child wrong, I do believe you two are going to beat them senseless." The straightforward way Retsu said that made several other Captains sweat drop.

"You can bet we will." Ichigo promised.

Shunsui couldn't resist, he had been expecting another bore him to tears meeting, and now he actually had some entertainment. "I take it the baby is a girl then?"

Ichigo turned a bit to take in the Squad Eight Captain, the smirk once again dancing on his lips, "Oh no, if my baby was a girl, Captain Unohana would need a new wing, not a few more beds. I'm having a boy."

"A very healthy baby boy, with spiritual pressure already extremely high, this is going to be one exceptionally strong Shinigami." Retsu informed, removing her hand. "You are a little over four months along."

Yamamoto nodded his head in thanks to the healing Captain as she retook her spot in line with the others, before he readdressed Ichigo. "The health of the child is good news. Now, for your stay here ideally you should be housed in the Squad which contains both the best protection for you both and the other father to your child. As the child's father will likely be revealed in a few month's time anyway, I ask that you tell now so proper arrangements can be made." Something this sensitive had to be a question, even the Head-Captain would not put such a personal aspect of person's life under a microscope. It was Ichigo's choice to say something now, or wait.

In answer, Ichigo looked down at his stomach, running his hands over the flesh housing his son, and when he spoke the listening Captains were momentarily confused thinking he might be talking to the baby, until they realized the child's father was in the room. "Well, are you going to keep standing there in shock, or are you going to come claim what is yours?" It was undeniably a challenge, despite his head being down; his voice was strong with a fiery after tone to it.

"Tch, yah know I was just waitin for yah tah say it was alright for them tah know." The sound of tinkling bells and heavy steps followed the just next to growled words.

Ichigo waited for the sound of the footsteps to be right behind him before he whirled around, hand on the large expanse of exposed chest in front of him, eyes raised once more to meet one covered eye and one burning with lust and excitement. "Let me make one thing damn clear to you Kenpachi, shall I? I am your lover, your partner, and I love you, but if you ever make the mistake of calling me a possession, I will be more than happy to reintroduce you to the business end of Zangetsu. That being said." Here Ichigo reached out and took the bloodthirsty Captain's gigantic hand, laying it over their baby, and it completely covered what little curve there was to him. "This is your son. Don't you EVER deny him. I don't care where we are, who is around, and whether or not they know I am the one who carried him. He is ours, mine and yours, so you better be ready to be his father."

The large hand tightened possessively, but not painfully, and there was a grin spreading across Kenpachi Zaraki's face. "Now why in the Hell would I deny my son? 'Specially when he's got a mother like you." Now he was just trying to fire up Ichigo.

It was working. "Hey! I am so not going to be mother. You get to be father, but I am dad, got it?" Ichigo grumbled, eyes blazing at the implication of the feminine address.

"Huh, feels like you're going tah be mother tah me," Oh, now Ichigo was really mad, Kenpachi loved every second of it.

Backing away from Kenpachi and crossing his arms in front of him, Ichigo responded with, "And whose fault was that?" Though it was more of a mumble than anything else since they were still surrounded by people. The statement still caused laughter though, because Shinji was standing close enough to hear, and he suddenly glomped onto the unsuspecting substitute.

"Aww, our little Ichi is all grown up and having a baby." The very flamboyant man gushed, doing his best to embarrass the Hell out of Ichigo; it was Shinji's specialty. "How long have you been with this brute?" Now he was eyeing Kenpachi from where he was still attached to Ichigo like a limpet.

When a few experimental shoves didn't budge the Squad Five Captain, Ichigo resigned himself to being Shinji's plaything until he got bored. Though the question did have him wondering just how many people he could shock in the room at once. "…Since I was seventeen." He answered slyly.

Laughter, full on hearty belly laughs, came from Shunsui as the words sunk in to the gathered Captains. "Well that explains a lot." He managed to say between bursts of laughter. "Hey Jyuushiro, pay up!" He called over to his old friend.

A resigned chuckle, and the sound of tinkling coins as a small pouch was thrown and caught between the two well respected Captains. "Wait a second Shunsui, you won that bet, but I seem to recall a separate one that I have just beaten you at." Jyuushiro reminded, and the pouch was returned, a satisfied smile on the Squad Thirteen Captain.

Ichigo watched the exchange with wide eyes, "Do I want to know?"

"What? We get bored, and we have to keep our observation skills sharp as Captains." Shunsui explained. "The first bet was whether or not you would be with a male or a female. I won that one. The second was how long you would be able to hide a relationship with a Shinigami from us, I bet a month or less, Jyuushiro bet a year or more, he won that one."

"Shunsui, Jyuushiro, aren't you forgetting something?" A third voice called, making the two Captain's addressed twitch slightly, and both tossed a pouch in the direction of the interruption.

Retsu Unohana reached out and caught them, her trademark serene smile still on her face.

"Okay, what bet was that?" Ichigo was close to morbidly curious now.

Jyuushiro shook his head, "One we should have known better than to make. A year ago she made a bet with us that you were already in a relationship, with Captain Zaraki."

That made both Ichigo and Kenpachi turn to her, "How did you know?" Ichigo asked, beating his lover to the question.

"All of the times you showed up in the Seireitei, and he chased you down, I occasionally had to heal him, but never you. That kind of challenge? Well it was a pretty safe bet." She left it delicately phrased, but the others got her meaning.

Kenpachi was never beaten until Ichigo came around, and now every time Ichigo wandered into Soul Society, he found himself eating dirt. When Ichigo got his power back, he had stopped denying the thrill of the fight, and had allowed the spars with Kenpachi.

That very first fight, after only ten days of training with Zangetsu, he fought Kenpachi to a tie. After everything that happened to him, he could outright beat him. Yet, Ichigo still liked fighting him, because even when he won, there was still a battle. Blood, and sweat, pain, muscle, oh god, he felt so alive fighting Kenpachi. Sometimes he didn't want to use all the power he had gained, he just wanted Zangetsu, him, and an opponent. Hell, occasionally Kenpachi and him threw down their swords and fought hand to hand, fists, feet, wrestling in the dirt.

Even Ichigo couldn't tell you when their spars starting evolving from battle to a different kind of release. All he knew was, battle and sex, dear Kami Kenpachi was everywhere. Kenpachi wasn't asking him to surrender his strength, Ichigo's power is what drew him, what he wanted was trust. That attitude right there is what brought them to this situation of Ichigo coming to Yamamoto in a bit of a bind, Kenpachi's son planted in his belly.

At Retsu's words, Ichigo dropped his hand to his son again, smiling, "Yeah, when you put it like that, this isn't real shocking."

Yamamoto slammed his staff on the ground loudly to regain order, "We have business to finish here. You will have time to socialize once we get it out of the way."

Ichigo turned back to him with a muttered, "Sorry."

"With the information we now have, you will be housed with Squad Eleven. Captain Zaraki, I expect you to make sure your subordinates treat Kurosaki and your son with care while he is there." Yamamoto ordered.

"No one will lay a hand on them," Kenpachi growled, "If I don't beat them into the ground, Ichigo will."

Ichigo was glad Kenpachi, despite the earlier teasing about being called mother, had such easy confidence in him he made off hand comments about his strength like most people noticed the weather. The first few times he submitted to him, Ichigo had been afraid the warrior would start seeing him as weak, but if anything, he only seemed to look at him as stronger.

Ichigo couldn't stop the small laugh, "Plus they are terrified of Yachiru and she likes me. You don't have to worry about us at the Eleventh." Then something hit him, "I wonder how she is going to like being a big sister?"

"You kiddin? She is gonna have our boy stealin' her cookies by the time he's three." Kenpachi laughed. "Better give him extra."

Ichigo smiled widely at the thought, "I don't think that is going to be a problem."

"Captain Zaraki, please take Substitute Kurosaki to get him settled in while the rest of us finalize the arrangements for his stay here. Nothing will change without your knowledge Kurosaki." He assured Ichigo, getting a nod of understanding. "Also, it will be your choice who to tell about why you are staying here until it becomes obvious. I will not take that right from you, though I do suggest telling a few of the higher seats in the Eleventh for safety reasons."

"Ikkaku and Yumichika are friends of mine, third and fifth seats, so it won't be a problem." Ichigo verbally agreed with the suggestion.

"Then the two of you are excused," Yamamoto dismissed.

With that Kenpachi and Ichigo left the Captains meeting, glad to be out of there. Ichigo was not expecting the reaction from Kenpachi as soon as they were out of sight. He was picked up and spun around, the Captain's powerful arms going around him firmly, Ichigo wrapping his legs around Kenpachi reflexively digging his hands into his shoulders. Kenpachi's mouth was devouring his, what they were doing was so intense the word 'kiss' did not do it justice.

Only when the need for air had their lungs ready to burst did they break apart, and Kenpachi's gravely voice assaulted Ichigo, "A son, you're giving me a son."

Ichigo was panting from lack of air, and the closeness of the man who would always leave him breathless, "You gave him to me." He replied.

"Ours." The word was heavy, and possessive, the way some men say the word mine.

"Yes, ours," Ichigo's tone was the same as Kenpachi.

"What you said in there, you know I ain't good with words. Mushy ones even worse." Kenpachi started. "You're mine, but you ain't no possession. You're like fucking fire. You keep burning, and sparking, and I want that damn heat. I don't own you, cause I'd rather have you wild. Our boy is going to be the toughest little flame in the Seireitei."

"Kenpachi, let's go home," Ichigo's voice was strained, because he was trying desperately to hold back the moan. Not good with words? Bullshit.

Instead of putting him down, Kenpachi adjusted his hold so Ichigo was settled a little more comfortably, and was off towards the Eleventh. He didn't use Flash Step, but he was moving fast enough you might have thought he was, so it didn't take long.

When the Squad members saw their Captain breeze past, at first they attempted to spring to attention, but when Ikkaku and Yumichika noticed orange hair pressed against his broad shoulder, they just turned to each other and smirked a bit.

Some idiot was not smart enough to be discreet, "Was that… Ichigo?"

He soon found himself with Hozukimaru run through some rather sensitive parts of his anatomy.

Kenpachi had made it to his room, kicking the door open, and then slamming it shut behind him. Ichigo felt his back hit the futon laid on the ground, and his mouth was being devoured again, even as his body was covered by the much larger man. He finally allowed himself to moan as he was coated in the heavy musky spiritual pressure he craved. He responded by releasing his own, knowing it drove Kenpachi wild to feel his unrestrained power licking his skin.

There was a sharp intake of breath, followed by a groan so deep and feral, it was damn near a growl, Ichigo fucking loved that sound. Then those gigantic hands were on him, not fumbling or unsure like some immature guy would do, this was a man who knew exactly what he was doing, and he was stripping Ichigo. The fabric submitting to the removal quickly and easily, as if knowing if it did not obey it would simply be ripped away. Before he could get too far though, Ichigo was leaning up hungrily, demanding further contact, it had been too long since he had been with his lover.

That was okay, Kenpachi could remove his clothing and satisfy that hunger all at once. He wanted his wild devil to do as he pleased, it was what made Ichigo the perfect person for him, the only one he wanted so badly it fucking hurt.

Oxygen, that was once again the only thing forcing them apart, Ichigo had to fall back against the padded mat; panting. Kenpachi couldn't believe the sight he made. He was now completely bare thanks to Kenpachi, torso heaving, lips bruised, eyes glazed, and his hair was a riot of color and mess. There, right there, below his ribs, above his hips, was their son. No fabric obscured the view of taunt skin, and firm muscle. Damn, was this what he had done?

Hands went possessively over the developing child, and his mouth descended once more onto Ichigo's. The younger man rose up to meet him, he never stayed in a position of submission long, "I hope you don't have plans later." He used the growling tone that drove his partner crazy with lust.

Ichigo's eyes darkened, "Why?"

"Because you are not going to be able to walk." There was that manic grin back again, and he was reaching for the oil kept by his bed for Ichigo's visits.

Kenpachi quickly but thoroughly prepared him, Ichigo was pregnant he was certainly not going to risk hurting him now. When he thrust inside his lover, there was a wonderful cry of pleasure from Ichigo. After three years, they knew the places that made their partner sing.

Ichigo was not a placid lover. He gripped, and bucked, bit, and scraped his nails along Kenpachi's back. Exactly the things that made Kenpachi respond by going harder and faster. Nothing about it was rushed, but they were not the type to enjoy gentle loving, they had sex like they fought, impassioned and fiery.

As they continued and it got closer and closer to the edge, their Spiritual Pressures grew. The power weighing the air down heavily, but it only added fuel to the two's passion. The heat between them burned hot and powerful. It always had, since the first time they had clashed, even if it took a few years before it had come to the point of love.

When they did lose it, Ichigo cried out Kenpachi's name, while he growled out Ichigo's.

Kenpachi easily reversed their positions, so that Ichigo's lighter body was sprawled across his massive one, but Kenpachi's hands were back over the baby. "I ain't done with yah, but rest a bit. Our boy needs it."

Ichigo didn't respond, because he was already asleep, between Kenpachi's power covering him, and his hands covering their son, he couldn't feel safer. Sleep had come easily.

Every time Ichigo woke up, they shared food, sex, he slept a bit more, and they did it all over again. By the time night rolled around, they both wound up falling into a deep slumber in a sated heap. They both had stamina, but even they had their limits.

The next morning, they added a shower to the mix, which felt very good after the previous day's activity. Then they finally wandered out of Kenpachi's bedroom to face the Squad.

To no one's surprise, the first to greet them was Yachiru, hopping up on Kenpachi's shoulder in her usual spot, "Kenny! Ichi! You're back! Were you sick? I wanted to check on you, but Feathers wouldn't let me!" She was obviously hyper, and her pouting face looked briefly toward a guilty looking Yumichika, who had probably bribed the Lieutenant with sugar to keep her away from Kenpachi and Ichigo.

"Yachiru, what did I tell yah about staying out of my bedroom when Ichigo is here?" Kenpachi chastised.

She looked up with an angelic expression that neither Kenpachi or Ichigo bought for any length of time, "But you were gone forever!"

"Ichigo had something tah tell me." Kenpachi responded with his wide grin in place.

"What's going on Captain?" This was Ikkaku, who realized his Captain and Ichigo must have some kind of announcement if they were willing to bait Yachiru like that, everyone knew she couldn't keep a secret to save her soul. Well more precisely, she wouldn't keep it.

"He's gonna be stayin' with us for awhile," Kenpachi responded, deciding it was Ichigo's decision to tell them why.

At the looks of obvious curiosity and confusion, Ichigo smirked at Ikkaku, before turning to Yachiru, "How would you like to have a little brother?"

Her eyes lit up with stars, "Brother!?" She jumped down from Kenpachi's shoulder, running over to Ichigo, bouncing in place in front of him.

He knelt down and put her hand on his stomach, "You're going to be a big sister in a couple months."

"Kenny! Kenny! Ichi's gonna have a baby!" Yachiru squealed.

Kenpachi pitched his head back and laughed, "Yachiru, the baby's mine." That was all he could manage to say between his guffaws.

They heard the sound of metal hitting gravel, and turned to see several Squad members had dropped their Zanpakuto in shock at the statement.

Ichigo straightened up putting his hand out for Yachiru to take, shaking his head, "Really guys? Shock is one thing, but dropping your swords? Isn't that a little cliché?"

Next thing he knew, two sets of arms were draped across him, the one carefully avoiding Yachiru. Looking to the side, he saw Ikkaku on his right, and Yumichika on the left, "Well Ichigo, we kind of suspected you and the Captain had something, but way to go on the kid." That was Ikkaku.

"I heard correctly didn't I, a boy? That's probably a good thing for around here, if you gave the Captain another daughter the Seireitei may not survive; it's hard enough with him just having the Lieutenant." Yumichika commented.

Ichigo couldn't stop the smile and laugh as some of the first friends he had made in the Soul Society congratulated him on his baby. "Yeah, we're going to have a boy. Captain Unohana already mentioned adding a few extra beds to her healing rooms just incase."

Yumichika leaned in closer to Ichigo's ear, "I have a surprise for Ikkaku too." It was a very quiet statement, spoken only because Ikkaku was laughing loudly and ribbing Kenpachi at that moment.

Ichigo looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and he got a happy nod in response. "Talk later?" He responded just as quietly, getting another nod.

"Hey Ichi!" Yachiru interrupted, and Ichigo turned his attention back to her.

"What is it Yachiru?" He asked.

"Well, you said I was going to be a big sister, so does that make Kenny my daddy, and you my mommy?" The puzzled question was hopeful, and she didn't quite understand why half the training arena burst into loud laughter; Kenpachi laughing loudest.

Ichigo massaged his temples attempting to will away the headache, "Ah no, Yachiru, you can call him father and me dad if you'd like though."

There was a great big pout on her face, her eyes glistening with just the right amount of tears, "But…But…But, I never had a mommy Ichi. Please be my mommy? You're having a baby right? So really you could be my mommy too?" There was a masterful sniff at the end.

"GAHHH! All right!" Ichigo finally caved, not able to resist. "But only you!" He rounded on Kenpachi. "Don't you even think about it! Only the kids get to call me that, got it?"

"Clear as crystal," Kenpachi was still grinning suspiciously. Ichigo turned slowly back to Yachiru to receive a happy hug, but of course, Kenpachi couldn't resist adding on to his statement, "…Mommy."

**A/N2** The technical aspects of how mpreg works, as well as a few flashbacks of how Ichigo found out and what happened when he told his friends/family will be coming in future chapters. I just wanted a humorous, get right to the fun bits of the story, first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Oh and just to clarify, Ichigo will not be the only pregnant male in this story, so it's not unusual for men to have a baby in the Soul Society, hence why no one was freaking out in the Captains' meeting.


	2. Lightning Strikes

**Surrender**

**Shadow of an Echo**

**A/N **His friends' reactions will be in the next chapter.**  
**

**Chapter Two**

**Lightning Strikes**

He had been feeling downright odd for awhile now. It was nothing too horrible, the occasional dizzy spell, a bit of nausea if he was around a particularly strong smell, and he was hungrier than usual. He was able to easily ignore it, that was, until it just didn't go away. The weeks dragged on like that, with him stubbornly refusing to say anything about it to anyone remotely close to the medical profession. When the weeks turned into months, and his stomach started looking funny, even he had to notice something.

Denial thy name is Ichigo.

Isshin Kurosaki was having a normal day at his clinic. His daughters were at school, and his son was off at the shop Urahara had deeded to him when Ichigo had graduated and the ex-Captain had returned to the Soul Society. He hadn't had many patients that day, which Isshin counted as a good thing, that meant few people were injured or sick.

Right now, he was reclined back in his office chair, waiting for someone to walk in needing help, or to get a call from Karakura's hospital needing back up.

The last thing he was expecting was to be knocked out of his chair by a blast of his son's well aimed spiritual pressure, Ichigo had learned long ago to strike first if he wanted to be around his father without getting tackled. "My darling son, you've come home to visit your daddy!" He was on his feet and attempting to fly towards Ichigo, receiving another wave of Spirit Pressure for his enthusiasm.

"Don't you ever get tired of that Goat Face?" Ichigo asked shaking his head, knowing full well his father wouldn't be changing at all.

Isshin pulled himself out of the heap he had landed in, realizing his son had come in his Shinigami form, "What's going on Ichigo?" He finally asked, figuring if it just turned out to be a visit he could continue to try to tackle him later.

Ichigo had to run a hand through his hair in frustration, not sure he could even make himself say it, but he had to. His dad was the only one who might be able to explain what he had managed to get himself into this time. "Ah, damn it, Dad I'm either having a nervous breakdown, or I'm going to make you a grandfather, mind telling me how in the Hell that is possible?"

"You think you're pregnant?" Well at least Isshin wasn't laughing in his face or calling the psychiatric ward, that was a plus; he did have little hearts in his eyes though.

Putting an arm around his stomach, where he could feel the changes that forced him into this confession, "Yeah, I think so."

"Come on, let's get you checked out, it's very possible for Shinigami." Isshin ordered, marching Ichigo into one of the examining rooms at the clinic. "Take your shirt off and lay down."

Eyeing the table like it was going to bite him, Ichigo slowly obeyed. As soon as he was laying flat with his stomach exposed, Isshin knew his son was most likely right, but he was still going to check to make sure there wasn't something more serious going on. Pressing down on his son's abdomen Isshin quickly found something that made him grin widely, "Well hello baby, you certainly hid from us for awhile didn't you?"

"So I really am…?" He still couldn't say it.

Isshin nodded, the grin plastered to his face, "You are, and not just a little bit. I'd say at least three months, probably closer to four. You should have come to me sooner if you were feeling odd." He chastised.

"I was feeling weird, but it wasn't really that bad," Ichigo protested, "I didn't know it was possible! Are you at least going to tell me that much now that I know I'm not going crazy?"

Isshin chuckled, "Well I guess I can't really fault you for this one. First thing is, obviously Shinigami are spirits, and they don't have physical bodies, so when we have children it doesn't work the same as it would for a human. I had to have a specialized gigai so that Masaki and I could have you three."

"So how does it work?" Ichigo was getting impatient now, but hey, could you blame him?

Isshin pressed down again to further check on his grandbaby as he replied, "When souls first cross into the gates of death, their state of health is measured. If the soul is from a person who was healthy and strong in life, that spirit passes directly to the Soul Society, and wakes in the Rukon with their memory intact looking exactly as they did in life. I believe you know of a soul like this, a young boy trapped in the body of a parakeet?"

Ichigo nodded, "Yeah, Chad helped him out when the whole situation with Rukia started." He confirmed.

"Well if the soul is from a damaged or unhealthy soul, the memories are wiped clean, and the soul is brought to a kind of zeroed out form. It no longer has a past, or the ability to take the form of the human it once was. This blank slate stays within the gates of death, and they are drawn together as certain atoms are in physics. As they compound, the amount of blank souls included in them grows, but they remain the same size, forcing their Spiritual Pressure to rise." Isshin saw Ichigo perk up at the explanation, following the logic behind it.

Ichigo had to comment there to make sure he was understanding, "You are describing an immature Shinigami, aren't you?"

"Yes, but they are incomplete." Isshin confirmed. "If they remained in that state they would be nothing but a little ball of energy, that's where their parents come in. When a pair of Shinigami share an intimate moment, and this is the important part, they have to entwine their spiritual pressures. That mixture between two Soul Reapers that trust each other can attract one of these incomplete souls from the gate. The parent's combined power is what shapes and forms the blank soul into the beginnings of a child, where it attaches to the soul of the receptive partner. Because all this happens on a spiritual level and not a biological one, a male Shinigami can have a baby as easily as a female. At this point your soul and power has done most of the ground work adapting itself to carry the baby, but there are still some changes that need to happen over the next few months before the child is ready to be born."

Ichigo's eyes widened comically hearing that, "…Born?"

Here Isshin was laughing like a maniac at his son's panicked expression, "Ah Ichigo, you're pregnant, naturally, without any experimentation or outside interference; you will be having the baby the same way."

The panic only got worse. "Wait, you can't be serious!" He protested quickly. "I can't really argue with you about the whole baby thing, I mean look at me, but a male isn't built to give birth; our hips are too narrow and there is nowhere for the baby to come from."

Isshin was proud Ichigo was in decent enough shape to think that clearly at this point, "Remember those changes I mentioned? Most are internal, and just as your body has adjusted to give you everything you need to carry your baby, it will adjust to give birth. Your hips will soften and loosen, it won't hurt, but it might be a little hard to walk the last month or so. By the time you reach the end, there will be a place for the baby to be born from, and once this is over your spirit will go back to normal. It isn't a permanent change."

Ichigo had to let himself collapse into the examining table, his head spinning, "Shinigami are freaking weird." He commented, and it wasn't the first time the thought had run across his mind.

"Hey at least you aren't the only one!" Isshin comforted cheerfully.

He lifted one eye open to stare balefully at his father, "If this is so common, how come I haven't seen it happen before while I was visiting the Soul Society?"

"You are smarter than that Ichigo," Isshin teased, "Tell me this, ever seen a pregnant female Shinigami?"

Ichigo had to think about it, "…No."

"That's because when you visit the Seireitei you are seeing the Squad barracks and the patrolling Shinigami, in other words, all active duty Soul Reapers, none of which are going to be far enough along to be visibly pregnant." Isshin explained. "Also, homosexuality isn't a big deal in Soul Society, with all the eccentric people around two men or two women together is nothing to get worked up about, but that doesn't make it overly common. Females do most of the child bearing, even though it is just as possible for males."

Ichigo went quiet for a little while, his thoughts swirling once again. Slowly his hands crept towards his stomach, a place he had avoided touching without clothes or a washcloth between his skin and his hands. His baby, oh hell, he was pregnant, "If this baby is made up of a bunch of other souls, is it really mine?"

"Oh Ichigo," Isshin smoothed back his son's hair, not wanting to displace the fingers that were clutching at his stomach protectively. "Stop thinking that way right now. This little one growing inside you right now is every bit yours, and your partners. Humans have spent countless centuries trying to figure out where their souls come from, endless religions have grown from the question, and there is no way of knowing who is right. Even though patient research and lots of time has answered the question of how Shinigami, who have no seed, even our women do not have cycles like humans, can have children; we still do not know what force is within the gates of death. We know there has to be something there, but what it is, we simply do not know. In the place of seed, we have Spiritual Pressure that shapes our children into one half us, and the other half into our partner. Take you and your sisters. Your mother was human, and I am a Shinigami, my gigai allowed me to produce you three, but what kind of soul you would have was a toss up between human and Shinigami. You and Karin ended up attracting a blank Shinigami soul in a living human body, while Yuzu had both soul and body of a human. You are my son, and Karin is my daughter, just as much as Yuzu is."

Ichigo clutched at his stomach again, trying to feel as much as he could of the baby, but there wasn't much to feel yet. "How much more could you tell me about the baby?"

"It's been awhile since I was in the Fourth, but I can try to see what I can find out," Isshin understood the need driving the question, and with the nature of the situation what equipment they had at the clinic wouldn't pick up on the spiritual body of the baby. That was one draw back to being in spiritual form; a lot of the more technical medical equipment didn't work unless it was specifically built for the spirit realm.

Isshin had to nudge Ichigo's hands out of the way, coating his hands in the same soft glow that Ichigo would later feel from Retsu. Almost instantly, Isshin snapped back into his playful attitude, as fake tears started pouring down his face, and he protested in his false injured voice, "Hey now, quit hitting your grandpa!"

"What's going on?" Ichigo demanded. He wasn't too scared with the dramatic way his dad was acting, if something was wrong, Isshin would be far more serious about the situation.

His father pouted, "You've got a fighter in there, every time I try to send any power it gets sent back, hard! About the only thing I can tell you is I'm getting beat up by my own grandson!" Isshin might be acting all wounded, but Ichigo knew better, he was just about ready to burst with pride.

A boy, oh he couldn't wait to tell Kenpachi they were going to have a little boy, wait, shit, Kenpachi! "If you think this little guy is a fighter, then you haven't met his father." He was about to work himself into a panic attack, that was until something hit him, a tiny pink something named Yachiru that always followed Kenpachi around. His lover already had a daughter, so Ichigo would just be adding on a son.

"I gotta ask, who is it?" Isshin was begging, as in down on his knees, hands clasped together and raised above his head with little stars in his eyes, full on begged. "You can tell me. I know they have taken good care of you, or my grandson wouldn't be here right about now. Mutual trust is one of the things that draws the soul to the couple."

Ichigo really didn't want to tell him, not because he had been treated poorly, but because he had kept it quiet for a reason. Isshin could be a bit, uh, overprotective, and damn it, he liked it when Kenpachi pushed the limits with him. He didn't like being treated like a treasure or a trophy, he was a fucking man, and a warrior; he had been fighting to protect himself and others since he was just a little kid. Okay so he had been pretty bad at it before his mom died, but he got better. Isshin thought nothing of waking his son up in the morning with a flying kick, but the first time Ichigo had come home with a black eye, he was pretty sure his father was going to break the other kid's arm if it wasn't for the fact Isshin needed to watch out for Karin and Yuzu.

Yet he was going to have a baby, so it wasn't like he could keep it from his father for much longer anyway. He was not ashamed of his lover, that was in no way the reason he had kept the relationship quiet, "Oh all right, but you probably won't like this, he is the Captain of the Eleventh Kenpachi Zaraki."

Isshin tackled his son, pulling him into a very disgruntled hug, "That maniac? You picked him, of all people?"

"Damn it Goat Face, let me go!" Ichigo growled, he could have used another blast of Spirit Pressure, but figured Isshin would get bored and let go on his own soon enough. "Yes him, at least you know no one is going to be stupid enough to mess with your grandson if he has both me and Kenpachi as his parents."

A couple rapid blinks as Isshin absorbed the information, "…You may have a point." He still hadn't let go, but he would, sooner or later.

"So what happens now?" Ichigo finally asked.

"Well, we are going to wait until your sisters get home from school, then we are going to have a nice dinner while you get gushed over more." Isshin easily decided, the girls deserved to know they would be aunts. "After that you need to start making the preparations to hand the shop over to your friends for the next couple months. I know you have things in place so you could just in case you were needed in Soul Society for an extended period of time again. Then you get to have a little fun, because you get to give a bunch of Captains heart attacks. You see when an active Shinigami gets pregnant it's handled by their Captain within their own squad, but you don't have a squad. You are a Substitute Shinigami, and your duties are to fill in for whatever Squad happens to need you, and that means all the Captains are going to need to know. You could just tell Yamamoto, but hey why do that, when you could get it out of the way at once?"

A slow smirk crossed Ichigo's face, "You know, that could be a lot of fun. They would find out about the baby and Kenpachi at the same time. I'm not going to hide who his father is, I'm not ashamed of him in any way, but it wasn't anyone's business who I was with. My son is going to have both his parents though, I will not push Kenpachi into the shadows like he is some dirty secret."

A statement like that got him glomped again, but he was expecting it, so he was braced. "Oh my wise son, you are growing up to make your daddy so proud!"

That was the memory Ichigo was thinking of that made him chuckle as he watched Kenpachi and Ikkaku beat up some of the braver squad members. Yumichika was lounging next to him, and the Fifth seat commented, "What's so funny? Other than these moron's pathetic belief that they could actually manage to hit either one of them?"

"Just remembering how I found out about my son, my dad had to tell me. He can be a little over the top, but he means well. He got overly emotional when I told him I wasn't going to hide who my son's father was, he approved of the decision." Ichigo explained.

"I remember your dad, he can be a little dramatic, yes." Yumichika agreed. "You wouldn't keep the Captain from his son, anymore than I would keep Ikkaku from our daughter."

"Ah, so you're having a girl?" The younger Shinigami shifted closer so they could keep their voices down, Yumichika hadn't told Ikkaku yet, so they were keeping it quiet.

Yumichika nodded, "Yes, I'm really excited. She will of course be beautiful, how could she not be? She's mine. Ikkaku will make her strong, and I will make her gorgeous. What a dangerous combination that is going to be."

"Sounds exciting," Ichigo agreed, "I'm sure my son and your daughter will be getting into plenty of trouble, especially with Yachiru to lead them into it."

"Ah yes, the Lieutenant is going to be the instigator in a lot of it. At least she can keep them safe though, that is somewhat comforting despite the mischief she will be leading them into. Where is she by the way?" He was looking around suspiciously, wondering why she wasn't attached to Ichigo like she had been ever since he had caved to her demand of being called mommy.

Kenpachi still sported the cracked lip and black eye from his angry lover, but he didn't regret the teasing in the slightest.

"She called an emergency meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association; I think I have about an hour before the entire Seireitei knows that I'm here, and why." Ichigo explained with an exasperated smile on his face at the little girl's antics. He hadn't really been expecting anything different.

Yumichika broke out laughing, "She is saving you from having to tell everyone yourself."

"That's what I was thinking," Ichigo responded with a shrug. "So how far are you? I don't see you keeping her secret from Ikkaku for that long."

"I'm only two months. I haven't known for very long, and I wanted to wait for the right time to tell him. I will soon." Yumichika was undeniably happy about the thought of telling Ikkaku about their daughter. The right moment would present itself, he was sure of it.

Looking out to the training ground where the two warriors were making mince meat out of the other squad members, Ichigo shook his head and laughed, "Ikkaku is a lot like Kenpachi, they are tough men, but they are going to be proud fathers. It's going to be hard to rein in their egos once they get going."

"I like Ikkaku's ego," Yumichika admitted.

"And I like Kenpachi's," Ichigo confessed. "The rest of the Seireitei is going to be in for it though."

"Been too quiet around here with all this peace, we need something to liven things up again, this should do the trick." Yumichika mused.

"Yeah, I think this'll work," Ichigo agreed.

They went back to watching the fight in progress, more squad members coming in to try their luck, all meeting the same end.

Until one of the men fighting Kenpachi landed in the sand spat out his own death sentence, "Damn it when are you going to start going easier on us now that you have Ichigo!"

"Excuse me Yumichika, I need to go roast an idiot," Ichigo stated calmly as he heard the exclamation, and the Fifth seat waved him off dismissively.

Kenpachi was not surprised to see Ichigo stalk into the training yard, the others making a path for the irritated substitute. The Captain watched the play of muscles appreciatively as Ichigo moved like a jungle cat hunting his prey towards the moron pulling himself out of the crater Kenpachi had thrown him into.

The man had barely gotten stood up straight when he had a knee buried in his gut, a fist in his solar plexus, and he was once more down in the sand gasping for breath. Ichigo hadn't bothered with Zangetsu, wanting the direct approach, he wasn't so far he couldn't move. "What was this I heard about your Captain going easy on you? Because of me?" Ichigo asked crossly of the still gasping Shinigami.

"Love makes men soft." He grumbled, attempting to catch his breath, Ichigo could punch damn hard, just ask Kenpachi and his black eye.

This just added a sweeping kick to the list of his problems, Ichigo wanted him to stay conscious so he aimed for his body and not his head, but he would probably want to have those ribs checked by someone in the Fourth when Ichigo was done with him. "Oh really? Soft huh, then care to explain why I have been with your Captain for three years and no one has known about it until he gave me a son?"

He was too busy clutching his chest and groaning to answer, so Ichigo did it for him, "I fell in love with Kenpachi for being exactly the way he is; why in the Hell would I change him? He better not change because of me, or I will kick his ass."

Feeling he had made his point, Ichigo was ready to leave the chastised Shinigami to be carted away to the Fourth, when the man proved he simply did not know when to keep his mouth shut. "Real warriors never surrender." Not a comment against being with a man, just being on the receiving side, that was something Ichigo wasn't too shocked with in the Eleventh.

Doesn't mean it didn't piss him off. This time he did draw Zangetsu, and he thrust the gigantic sword into the sand so close to the now trembling Shinigami he pinned the terrified man to the ground by his Shihakusho. In the same instant he released the binding on his Spiritual Pressure and started pressing down on the dumbass, instantly seeing sweat break out on the weak man's brow. "A warrior doesn't surrender? Funny thing how you believe something you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, wanna know why I'm pregnant? It's because your Captain had the balls to fuck me _without_ making me surrender." He raised the amount of power pressing down on the stupid man, beating him into the ground until he was barely hanging onto consciousness.

Until he felt familiar hands on his shoulders, spinning him around, and Kenpachi's lust filled gaze was on him, "Huh fuckin' wimp can't take half your strength."

They both looked down at the pathetic lump of Shinigami, "I bet he thinks that's all I can do." Ichigo commented.

"I'd say show him, but yu'd kill him." Kenpachi was disappointed, he wanted to see his Ichigo's power blasting the moron into pieces, but that was a hell of a lot of paperwork that he didn't feel like doing.

Ichigo noticed he wasn't the only one to get pissed off by the last comment the idiot had made, when one incredibly angry Fifth seat brushed past them on the way to the slowly reawakening Shinigami now that Ichigo wasn't focusing his Spiritual Pressure on him. "I think Yumichika would like to have a word with him."

Kenpachi hollered over to his subordinate, "Turn him tah mincemeat!"

"No problem Captain," The vain Officer responded, drawing his Zanpakuto, gaining Ikkaku's attention to the fact his partner was taking the situation personally. "Bloom Fuji Kujaku!" Yumichika called out, fanning out his blade, tearing into the man on the ground, after saying. "I'll show you warriors never surrender!"

Ikkaku waited until the anger was worked out of his lovers system, he knew better than to approach before then, but once it was safe he went over to Yumichika and stroked his cheek. They had been together a heck of a lot longer then Kenpachi and Ichigo, they were more affectionate in public, even if they weren't the cuddly type. "Yumichika, what brought that on? You normally brush shit like that off; you know I don't think like that at all."

Yumichika lifted his hand to squeeze Ikkaku's, "It hit harder than usual now. I have made no secret about who I love, it's part of who I am, but in a few months time it's going to be obvious exactly which position I prefer."

Ikkaku's eyes widened, and his other hand came up to rest on Yumi's other cheek, "Are you pregnant?"

"You're going to be a father; our daughter is healthy and strong." Yumichika confirmed.

He was pulled in for an enthusiastic hug and kiss, Ikkaku letting out a loud whoop. Children hadn't happened for them before. Trust had to be involved, and well, one of them was hiding a large secret from the other. The Winter war had caused their largest fight ever, after the pillar feel and Yumichika had thought he lost Ikkaku, he had ripped into him for not using his Bankai and he was so mad at the Lieutenants for holding him back from going to Ikkaku to help.

His lover had asked the same damning question the other two had, only he couldn't lie or dodge the question anymore, what did he think he could do if Ikkaku had failed? After much fear and screaming, Yumichika had admitted to his true Shikai. He did not get the reaction he was expecting. Instead of hatred, he got respect for enduring so long in having such a power, but refusing to use it so he could stay with the Eleventh. Every once and awhile Ikkaku mentioned he might want to tell Kenpachi about it, but he wouldn't force him, he had told Renji and Ichigo though; they had all become close friends and he was tired of hiding from them.

"We are having a little girl?" Ikkaku asked curiously, holding onto him tightly.

"Are you sorry she isn't a boy?" That was the only worry Yumichika had about the situation.

Ikkaku had to laugh at him with the question, "Oh come on, you really asked me that? I'm fine with a daughter, maybe we can give her a brother later, but I think our daughter will be the terror of the Seireitei, in all the ways that count."

"Let's just see how this one goes before we start talking about more," Yumichika responded flatly, causing Ikkaku to laugh again, exuberant with the situation.

Ikkaku leaned over and kissed his forehead on the opposite side from the ornamental feathers, "You know you are going to be beautiful carrying her, right now, and right up until the very end."

A slow happy smile, "Keep talking." Yumichika ordered.

"…So do I wanna know?" Kenpachi asked Ichigo as his Third and Fifth seat engaged in a very public display of affection.

Ichigo chuckled, "You were going to find out anyway, Yumichika is going to need some time off, he's pregnant too."

"Ah, that explains attacking leftovers," He realized, glancing to the bloodstained sand, the injured Shinigami had already been taken to the Fourth Squad's healing rooms. He would need a lot of patching up, Ichigo idly wondered if Retsu had added those extra beds yet, oh well, it was only one man so far.

"Yachiru should be almost done with her meeting," Ichigo noted, realizing how late it was getting.

Kenpachi started to grin manically again, "Ready to face the mob?"

Ichigo had to sigh, "Not really, but it was bound to happen at some point. At least this way I don't have to do it all myself. There are some people I shudder at the thought of telling, I don't mind them knowing, I just don't think my eardrums can take the squealing."

"Who?" Kenpachi knew most of the people that Ichigo was close with, but not the ones who would be excited over a baby.

"Kisuke for one, that man can be just as overly dramatic as my father when he wants to be. Rukia is another, and Rangiku. That's just to name a few." Ichigo had made an impression on quite a few people in his time with the Soul Reapers, and quite a few of them would be very much taken with the idea of him having a baby. Shinji's reaction was only the beginning of the glomping/gushing.

"Yah already put one man in the healin' rooms, what's a few more? That story 'ill spread too." Kenpachi encouraged, but the encouragement would have far more impact if he wasn't still grinning and laughing his head off.


	3. What Have You Done

**Surrender**

**Shadow of an Echo**

**Chapter Three**

**What Have You Done  
**

"Let me get this straight." Uryu looked at Ichigo suspiciously from between his parted hair. "You need us to take over the shop for a few months, because you are going back to the Soul Society. Only this time they don't need you, it's you that needs help. Oh, and before I forget, you don't want to tell us why you need to stay there until you get the permission you need from Yamamoto. Did I leave anything out?"

It was Ichigo, Orihime, Uryu, Chad, and Tatsuki gathered around the table in the back of Urahara's old shop, that now belonged to Ichigo. He had put off this conversation as long as he thought he could possibly manage it, but his son had other plans for him, it seemed the little boy was determined to show himself. Every pair of jeans he owned was far too tight, Yuzu was helping him out there, modifying the waistbands to have a carefully hidden tab sown into them that stretched to accommodate his son. Now even his baggiest shirts were getting suspiciously full in the abdomen area, since he had never really worn many over-sized clothes he didn't own much that could conceal his changing body from the few friends who truly knew him.

"Why do you need their help, when you can't tell us?" His eyes narrowed further, piercing into the substitute Shinigami, they might be friends, but a healthy rivalry would always be fostered between them.

Ichigo settled for a half-truth, so he wasn't completely lying and wouldn't be called on it later when he showed up with his son tagging along, "Dad thinks there might be something wrong with me that the Soul Society is better equipped to deal with. He doesn't think it's that dangerous, just something to do with my Soul Reaper side instead of my human."

A spark of understanding from the Quincy, plus a confirming gaze had him smirking into his teacup, finally he had something he could corner Ichigo with. "Really? A simple problem with your Shinigami side, that is going to take _months_ to cure, and you refuse to tell us anything about it? Why do I get the feeling there is something you know, but you just don't want to tell us?"

Ichigo hadn't looked up from the table, "...I might know something, but I really don't know very many details yet. I won't know much until I get to the Soul Society."

"Uh huh, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that you look like you've gained a good ten pounds, and Quincys know a pretty fair bit about Shinigami anatomy, or did you forget Ryuken is a doctor too?" Uryu almost always referred to his father by his first name, unless directly speaking to him, and the word 'father' was used more like a dagger than a proper title.

Damn, damn, damn, Ichigo had forgotten, "Ah Hell, you know?"

"I suspected, but your reaction confirmed," Uryu responded smugly, lips twitching into a smile of victory. "So who is the father?"

"Ichigo, what is he talking about?" Orihime interrupted before Ichigo could respond.

Uryu couldn't keep it in anymore, he started laughing at both Orihime's confusion, and Ichigo's stubborn refusal to admit anything. Uryu rarely laughed, he was a lot like Ichigo in that, but he couldn't help himself in this case. "He's pregnant." Uryu revealed for him, still laughing at the orangette's misfortune in being in a room full of people wearing identical expressions of stunned disbelief.

"What the Hell?" Tatsuki was the first to recover, and she summed up the situation well, at least she thought so.

He finally raised his eyes from the table and met her gaze, "He isn't wrong," Ichigo admitted. "Dad gave me the long version, but in the interest of keeping things short, apparently no one thought it was important to mention to me that Shinigami men can carry a baby, and I'm about four months pregnant as close as dad and I can get figured out."

She blinked rapidly a few times, before joining Uryu in laughing, hers was much heartier though, "Oh something like this could only happen to you." Of course she had known Ichigo preferred men when it came to someone he could relax and be himself around. He wanted someone strong enough to take him on, and not be used against him like Aizen had done when he kidnapped Orihime. There had been the occasional female Ichigo had admitted to noticing over the years, but he noticed just as quick that they were already taken. He was honorable, he wouldn't try for anyone who was already happy with the one they were with. "I didn't know you were with anyone though?" She was curious there, Ichigo knew she didn't have a problem with him, so why had he hidden his relationship?

Ichigo had to smile at the concerned question, at least even after being shocked and teasing him, Tatsuki was still the same, "No one knew, we kept it quiet. Our son had other ideas though." He chuckled ruefully. "I don't plan on hiding anything after this."

"You're having a boy? Good thing. If you had a daughter you would be calling Yuzu constantly crying for help." Tatsuki teased.

"Hey!" Ichigo protested, "I helped out a lot with Karin and Yuzu! I would have managed with a daughter, and his other father has an adopted daughter already. I'm happy we are having a boy, but we would have been fine with a girl."

The next to snap out of the shock was Orihime, and Ichigo's own eyes widened as he saw her launch herself at him with an excited squeal. She was hugging him tightly before he had really noticed what was happening, though that ended quickly once she noticed that his clothes were covering the fact he was showing a little bit; she switched her focus to the small curve her squeal changing to a coo of delight. "Hi little boy, I'm Orihime, I can't wait to meet you. We're going to have lots of fun together, and if you get into any trouble I can fix you up in no time."

Okay, this was weird. She was right there next to him, but she wasn't talking to him, she was talking to the baby. Also, he thought it might feel odd to have someone touch his stomach, his family and himself not included, but her hand stroking and petting over his baby wasn't too bad. A stranger would surely be too much, but he figured he could handle it from people he knew now that he felt it.

As Orihime spoke to the baby, a large hand came down on Ichigo's shoulder, and squeezed; he didn't even have to look to know it was Chad. The deep soft voice was comforting to hear, an anchor of calm in a rapidly spinning world of uncertainly. "Who is he?" Ichigo did not need to ask for clarification. Though he suspected Chad was only asking for confirmation, of all his friends Chad would be the most likely to have noticed what had been going on in the past three years.

"Kenpachi," Ichigo answered simply, but this was one question he didn't answer reluctantly, he meant it when he said he wasn't going to hide who his son's father was.

Chad squeezed his shoulder again, "He gives you what you need." That was why Ichigo and Chad had been such close friends for so long, they understood each other, no matter how different they looked.

"Yes, he does." Ichigo confirmed.

"...Wait, did you just say Kenpachi? As in Kenpachi Zaraki!" Uryu interrupted.

It was now Ichigo's turn to smile victoriously, "Yes, that's what I said. The baby is his son."

"Aww, I bet Yachiru is going to be so happy!" Orihime exclaimed.

Ichigo nodded, "I think she will be. I've spent a lot of time with her, she likes me, so she might take to the baby all right."

"Ichigo, just how long have you been with this guy?" Tatsuki asked curiously, figuring the Yachiru they were talking about was the adopted daughter Ichigo had mentioned earlier.

A teasing smirk, Ichigo was going to enjoy this one, "Three years."

More shocked looks, and another laugh from Uryu who commented drily, "Well, at least this didn't happen the first time you two got together."

Ichigo was now looking back on that comment from Uryu and couldn't help but think he was perfectly right, because if he had to endure his current torture three years ago he might have been far more tempted than he was to go Bankai and get the Hell away, as it was his hand was twitching towards Zangetsu.

He was under attack, only it wasn't an Espada.

Or an Arrancar.

Or even a Hollow.

It was one overeager Shinigami Lieutenant. The problem? She was hugging him. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, except for exactly which Lieutenant was currently attached to his person, and it wasn't Rukia. This one was much taller, gigglier, and dangerously close to a wardrobe malfunction, though he was pretty sure that last one was deliberate.

"RANGIKU! Stop manhandling him right now!" The irritated voice of the Squad Ten Captain could not have come at a better moment for Ichigo.

"Oh, Captain, I'm just congratulating Ichigo on his little bundle of joy! You shouldn't be so heartless, isn't he your friend to?" Rangiku protested to her child appearing superior.

An angry tick appeared above the Captain's eye, his Lieutenant pirouetting on his last nerve."I didn't say you couldn't talk to him, just let him go while you do it. You should just be glad I'm giving you a break from paperwork for this, a short one mind you." Toushiro warned.

"You're a lifesaver Toushiro," Ichigo thanked as the female finally released him.

The twitch grew more prominent, "It's Captain Hitsugaya to you," He corrected automatically. There was an odd glint in his eyes Ichigo hadn't seen before, and he started speaking again, "The baby though, he can call me Toushiro." Ah that glint might be either amusement or excitement Ichigo wasn't sure, but when Toushiro finished, Ichigo was leaning towards amusement. "Until he gets to the Academy, then it's Captain Hitsugaya for him too!"

"See you do care," Rangiku pointed out as if she was the one who made him admit it like he was a naughty child.

He eyed his Lieutenant, "Wasn't there some paperwork you needed to do?"

"But Captain, you were letting me take a break!" She protested.

He crossed his arms in front of himself, "Break's over, now get back to work!" He ordered.

She pouted but left, Toushiro shaking his head in wonderment, did she really think he wouldn't notice she was leaving in the opposite direction of the Tenth? "Question, do you get assigned Lieutenants, or do you pick them?" Ichigo asked curiously after watching the exchange.

Toushiro was settling onto the planks of the porch Rangiku had cornered Ichigo on, he was resting a bit after his display with the moron earlier in the day. Kenpachi was once again beating up the squad members, but there was little chance of a repeat of the morning, at least that day, considering how thoroughly the idiot had been dealt with by Ichigo and Yumichika.

"Depends on the circumstances," Toushiro explained. "The Captain does have some choice, but the final decision has to be approved by the Head Captain. Someone unsuited for the position can not hold it. Rangiku is a Lieutenant by merit, she is powerful, and when she is called on to do her practical duties she is good at them. Paperwork is her downfall, and anything else she deems as unimportant she will procrastinate or downright refuse to do. There are some Captains like that though, so it is tolerated, and as long as she is paired with a Captain willing to do those tasks it works out. The reason I am paired with her though, is because she can be uh, distracting, to the other male Captains, and she is the one who discovered me in the Rukon. Since she already knew me, it works even if she drives me insane most of the time."

Ichigo had a sneaking suspicion there was more to the story, "You don't have to say more if you don't want to, but that isn't the only reason you are working with Rangiku is it? It isn't just about her needing somebody else is it?"

Toushiro held up one of his small hands, inspecting it slowly, "She doesn't treat me like a kid. She just treats me like her Captain who's trying to force her into doing paperwork she doesn't like, and doing fieldwork with her that she does."

"Do you know why I call you Toushiro?" Ichigo asked, wanting Toushiro to realize something.

"Because you have no manners, and are obviously deaf because you have never hear me when I correct you." Toushiro responded.

"Right," Ichigo pointed out, "Now where in that sentence did you say it was because I treat you like a kid?" Ichigo had to laugh at Toushiro's restrained look of shock, he was much better at controlling his reaction than Ichigo's human friends had been, but it was still funny. "It pisses him off but I call Byakuya by his first name, and Shunsui, and all the Visoreds. If I know you, and have any amount of respect for you, or if I count you as a friend at all, then I am going to use your first name; it is as simple as that. That is why I don't listen when you correct me, not because I think of you as a kid."

"Captain Zaraki doesn't treat me like a kid either." Toushiro suddenly informed, looking towards Kenpachi's grinning face, as he slashed threw another opponent. "The older Captains, especially Captain Ukitake, are overprotective and refuse to train even within sight of me, much less fight me directly. In order to get stronger, especially with my Bankai, I need strong opponents willing to fight against me. Aizen and the Espada proved I have a long way to go before I have my Zanpakuto mastered. Captain Zaraki will fight me, Captain to Captain, my Shikai has never been stronger."

"I can help you too, once he is born, I understand needing a strong enough opponent." Ichigo offered, if the fight against Aizen was what drove this desire, what better teacher could he offer Toushiro than the man who beat him?

"I would appreciate that," Toushiro thanked quietly, before tilting his head and catching Ichigo's eye, "Oh, and by the way, congratulations. You broke the news in a creative way that's for sure, I thought Captain Kuchiki was going to pass out when Captain Zaraki started talking after you called out."

"Brother almost passed out? Oh I'm so going to have to remember that one!" Rukia heard the tail end of Toushiro's sentence, since she was climbing onto the porch with them, Yachiru clinging to her.

The pink haired Lieutenant dropped off Rukia and was running towards Ichigo as soon as she spotted him, "Mommy! Mommy! I told everyone about my little brother, they were so excited, some of them couldn't even talk! Then everyone talked at once! It was really loud, like the time Feathers and Pinball Head left all that candy out and I ate it all! Remember, Remember! Oh, wait, Feathers told me not to let Mommy, or Kenny know about that, oops. Anyway, they know about my little brother and wanted to come visit, but we got told to wait for you to cool down! What happened Mommy?! You get too warm?!"

Ichigo was not sure Yachiru had even taken a breath during all that, he suspecting that candy incident might have happened a little sooner than Yachiru had made it sound. At the last little bit he looked to Rukia helplessly, not sure how to answer, since he was lost at the butterfly comment.

She clarified for him. "A Hell Butterfly came in for Captain Unohana from the Fourth, apparently a patient came in that the Squad was handling, but they thought the Captain should know about. Tell me Ichigo, what was this about you beating up a guy over something he said?"

Ichigo mentally breathed a sigh of relief, instead of a mob, he would just be getting greeted by a steady flow of people he knew. He could handle that. He hoped. "It wasn't just me, the guy managed to get Yumichika angry too!" Ichigo defended himself, retelling the story for the three listening people.

When it was over, the Captain in the bunch was the first to speak, "What an idiot."

"Ichigo has a temper at the best of times, this would be one of those occasions it would not be a good idea to test that," Rukia agreed. "Yumichika isn't a push over either." She added, they had all seen the Eleventh Squad officer fight at some point, and he was undeniably good at it, even if he did let Ikkaku take the lead more often than not.

"Pregnant or not, I was not going to let him say that about Kenpachi. They weren't insulting me, they were insulting him, but anything he said or did was not going to convince them. I had to step in and show them I was not going to be a softening influence. Kenpachi has done more for those men than they know, he pushes them just right, so that they survive and never give in. In a way that man was right, a warrior never surrenders, but he didn't understand the situation. At. All." Ichigo explained.

"Because anyone who has seen you fight knows you never give up," Rukia observed, sometimes wishing that maybe Ichigo would back down a little every once and awhile. She didn't know exactly how many, but she knew her friend's body was covered in scars, his back from protecting people, and his front from confronting the threats head on. "You wouldn't surrender anymore than Kenpachi would."

"It was never about surrender or giving up with us," Ichigo admitted, and he wasn't talking about sex, okay well not only sex. "It was about freedom not more chains." They could be free to show their strength, and trust the other was brave and tough enough to handle it.

"You won't be saying that in a few months, freedom has a way of disappearing when you start carrying around a big belly." He knew that voice, and he winced as he turned to take in the sleek black furred feline walking sedately next to a smirking sandy blonde Shinigami with grey eyes. "Then of course that freedom goes away even more when the child arrives and your world shrinks drastically. So Ichigo, we hear you've gotten yourself into a little bit of a situation." Yoruichi climbed up onto the porch to peer knowingly at her old student and friend with her golden eyes. Kisuke leaned casually on the railing near where Toushiro was sitting.

Ichigo shook his head with a chuckle, "I doubt this is going to be a 'little' situation, at least not for long."

"No, they usually don't stay little." Yoruichi agreed. "Kenpachi huh? I could say how could you and I'm so shocked? But really, I'm not, you did make it kind of easy with all the sneaking away, and the hiding, and the fighting, really you were terribly obvious after awhile."

You could have used a spatula to pry Ichigo's jaw off the floor. "What! You knew?"

"Ichigo, do you happen to remember exactly which Squad Yoruichi was the Captain of?" Kisuke couldn't help but insert himself into the conversation, this was going to be good.

"Squad Two," Ichigo answered quickly and easily, looking at Toushiro and Rukia oddly when they both let out 'ah huhs!'

"What are the duties of Squad Two?" Yoruichi asked Ichigo, knowing that's where Kisuke wanted to take the questions.

"That's Soi Fon's squad now, they are like the police aren't they? Interrogating and arresting criminals," He answered carefully.

"Ichigo, how do you think they can interrogate anyone successfully if they can't observe a person or situation and figure out the truth?" Toushiro informed him, saving him from becoming the toy of the two older Shinigami. "Squad Ten are the investigators, we often work with Squad Two passing our findings back and forth, so I know quite a bit about them."

"Hey pipsqueak, that wasn't nice, we were having fun," Kisuke grumbled, getting a punch to the gut for his comment, the differing levels of their positions allowing the move.

A very feline laugh sounded on the porch, "You deserved it," Yoruichi proclaimed. She moved her golden gaze from Kisuke to the frosty Captain, "I think this one has spent too much time with Ichigo though."

Two voices shouted "Hey!" At the same time.

"Ain't as many as I was 'espectin," Kenpachi had come over to the porch, his ragged Zanpakuto slung over his shoulder; Ichigo very pleased to note that at some point the giant of a man had thrown off all upper garments and his torso was exposed. Damn did he love those muscles. Now if only he could get Kenpachi to occasionally pull the bells out and the spikes down, leaving his hair wild and untamed like he looked after a particularly long session together, that was pure untainted Kenpachi. He only put the bells in to make fights a little more even, anything that limited his Kenpachi's strength was nothing but a distraction and nuisance to Ichigo, he wanted to feel every bit of that power straining against the bindings placed on it.

"That's because I think Ichigo managed to scare a few into submission." Rukia explained, she had been dealing with the Captain more since she had become a Lieutenant, Kenpachi was a brute, but she had come to understand him better. It helped that she hadn't truly grown up a pampered noble, she was from a poor Rukon district, she had fought and starved during her early years, not as badly as Kenpachi but she didn't have nearly the problems with him that her brother did.

Kenpachi was about to climb onto the porch, which was his own mind you, when he suddenly had a cane pressed to the center of his bare chest. A cane containing one very deadly Zanpakuto named Benehime. "So, Kenpachi is it? I've seen you a few times, but can't say we've ever spoken much directly. Name's Urahara, Kisuke Urahara, and I taught Ichigo, I was also his father's best friend while he was in the Seireitei. Isshin can't be here since he has two daughters to look after, so you see, he kind of asked me to do this in his place."

No one was surprised at Ichigo's groan, which Kisuke promptly ignored, continuing his rant at Kenpachi. "First things first, he is very angry that you didn't show yourself before this. If you could support Ichigo for your son, then you could have done so long ago, that is the way Isshin feels anyway, and he wants to make sure you are really doing this for both of them and not just the child." Kisuke punctuated each sentence with a poke of the concealed Benehime.

"Damn it Kisuke, would you remind Goat Face it was MY decision to keep it quiet!" Ichigo demanded.

A paw on his leg momentarily paused his rant, Yoruichi looking up at him. "Relax Ichigo, this is tradition, it will be fine." She assured, leaning against the limb to watch the show unfold.

"Mommy, why is he poking Daddy?" Yachiru asked, from where she was pressed against his side, watching Kisuke threaten Kenpachi.

Ichigo growled, "Because your grandpa doesn't know when to stop."

"I have a grandpa?" She was surprised.

"Mommy?" Toushiro had to ask, finding himself trying hard not to laugh.

"You do now Yachiru, he will be happy to meet you." Ichigo replied to her first, before turning to glare at Toushiro, who he just knew was laughing at him no matter how sedate he might appear. "Only, and I repeat, only my children can call me mommy."

"Mommy hit daddy when he did!" Yachiru was surprisingly chipper about saying something like that, but with her parents, it wasn't unexpected.

"And I'll do it every time he does," Ichigo promised.

Kisuke had moved on from the original rant, "Also, Isshin would like to pass something else along, we can't fault Ichigo for this since he didn't know it was possible, but as a Captain you should have been aware of the possibility. How come you didn't warn Ichigo this might happen?"

Suddenly, Ichigo wasn't so mad at Kisuke or his father anymore, they did have a point. "You know, that's true. Why didn't anyone say anything to me about it? I understand if it wasn't mentioned right away with the whole Aizen thing, but it's been _years_, don't you think this is something I should have been told about? I realize I didn't tell anyone I was with Kenpachi, but several people on this porch knew, or the very least suspected, I liked men."

This time Kenpachi did respond, but his wide grin was not portraying humility, "I didn't know no one told 'im." He shrugged a bit, "I didn't get all worked up about it. I don' think it's a bad thing tah have a baby with Ichigo. He's great with um. Our son will be powerful because of him. He's always strong but now he's fuckin killer when yah piss him off."

"I thought your father, or Urahara would tell you," Rukia confessed, she was the first from Soul Society to find out about his preference. She did insist on stealing his closest after all, and well, he had a few incriminating dreams. "We grow up knowing about it, even the Rukon residents know the born souls are different and other things are possible for us. Not all Shinigami are lucky enough to be born directly into the Seireitei, in fact most are born in the Rukon and brought to the Academy from there to be trained."

"That's what makes the noble families different, we can trace our heritage back further," Yoruichi added in, "Beyond that I don't really believe there is any difference between a Shihoin or a Kuichiki, and a Zaraki or a Kurosaki."

Ichigo just shook his head again, "Okay, talking to my dad about that kind of thing the first time around was the most scarring moment of my life, I mean you've met him, even if he did try there is no way I am going to listen. Kisuke, now you I might have listened to, so that's a good one, since you are the one doing the threatening, why didn't you?"

"Yes Kisuke, why didn't you?" Yoruichi piped up still in her cat form.

There were some days where Kisuke really missed his hat, this was definitely one of them, but it had a lot bad memories associated with it of being exiled for a crime he didn't commit. "It was most definitely not because I was quite possibly not potentially maybe planning, a little bit, of a maybe, ah well; you know three years, and Ichigo is good with kids, and they are both so strong."

"Kisuke Urahara!" Yoruichi's voice rang out sharply, "You did _not _do what I think you did, right?"

"Depends, what are you thinking I did?" Kisuke asked worriedly.

"You set us up!" Ichigo realized, oh pissed did not even begin to cover what he was feeling right now.

"No," Kisuke protested firmly, "I didn't set anything up. Just because I chose not to tell you, doesn't mean you couldn't have found out, as Rukia said, anyone who grew up in the Soul Society knows about it. You two got your son completely of your own doing."

"You just can't keep your nose out of things can you," Yoruichi chastised, "Ichigo, he knew you wouldn't ask, and no one would think to tell you. For us it's so common a piece of knowledge it wouldn't hit us that you didn't know."

"Why?!" Ichigo demanded, "Why mess with this?"

Kisuke looked at him with a mischievous glimmer, "Ichigo, maybe I thought you could use someone precious to protect. Isshin did explain there are conditions that had to be met right? I can't meddle with those circumstances, I meant it Ichigo, you two got this child on your own. I simply didn't tell you it could happen."

"Someday your crazy schemes are going to come back to bite you, or just maybe you are going to learn to, I don't know, ask!" Ichigo grumbled, stroking his stomach where his son was growing. He loved his baby boy, Kenpachi had given him a baby, could he really say it would have turned out different if he had known it was possible? He didn't know, but he wouldn't give his son up for anything.

Kenpachi finally moved forward again, intending to join Ichigo who was still surrounded by the small circle of friends, but was once more stopped by the cane blocking his path. Kisuke had an easy smile on his face, his words calm, "Oh by the way, this isn't from Isshin, but me; if Ichigo or that baby is harmed in any way I will gut you."


	4. I Don't Want To Be Like Cinderella

**Surrender**

**Shadow of an Echo**

**A/N **Another update for this one. This week I have been staying at my sister's house being Aunty Echo, I love my niece so much, she is almost three and is the inspiration for a lot of my fanfictions involving children. I have another niece, but she is only a year old, so while I love her just as much, she hasn't been around as long to influence my writing to as high a degree yet, but don't worry I'm sure she will catch up :) I love kids, but don't have children of my own, and both my nieces live two hours away, so when I get around them I am in a very upbeat kind of mood.

**Chapter Four  
**

**I Don't Want To Be Like Cinderella  
**

All the preparations were in place. Ichigo was going to head to Soul Society in the morning, but he had one more person to talk to, and he wanted to do this on his own. He thought about just talking to her, but he wanted to do this a little more directly than that, so it called for a visit.

A long trip up many stairs later, and he was laying a small bundle of flowers on his mother's grave. "I bet you already know why I'm here." Ichigo simply started talking. Ever since his experiences with the Soul Society he had become so much closer to the world of death, even with his ability to see spirits he hadn't wanted to confront his mother's passing, but Rukia's presence has forced him to.

Focusing on the flowers he had put down instead of the cold stone, he continued talking, "I know this situation is totally crazy. I had trouble believing it too. Dad, he made it sound so logical, but it's like I've been dropped into a really messed up dream. I can feel him growing though, he's real."

"I can't believe it Mom, but I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a little boy." He rested his hand on his stomach, feeling the curve that was just the first outward hints of the baby he carried. "I wonder if you would be mad at me? Or if you would be happy, maybe proud like dad to be getting a grandson? I wish I knew. I'd like to think you loved me enough any child I had you would love, no matter how they came to be."

That thought made Ichigo smile, "You know, I think that is exactly how you would feel. My friends have stood by me after all, and they aren't even family, there is no blood between us only experiences, so why wouldn't you love my son just as much as me? It isn't like I did anything wrong to get him. I just loved his father."

His hand hadn't moved from his stomach, "I don't think you would have expected your little momma's boy to end up with a man like Kenpachi. He is brutal and aggressive, he doesn't pull his punches or withhold his strength, and that is exactly what I wanted. I protect everyone Mom, I want to, I need to, that is what drives me to be strong. Kenpachi is the only one who has never asked me to back down or let someone else take over for awhile, he fights with me, not for me. Kenpachi did not give me my strength, he gave me the confidence to use what I already had, and he lets me know it. Now he gave me a son, and tomorrow I get to tell him, I can't wait to see the look on his face."

Now the little smile was an outright grin, "I came here tonight to tell you something mom. I'm going to have a baby, but his father is not going to treat me like a princess, he is going to treat us like we deserve. I think, I have finally found something that will make me happy."

xxxx

"Ichigo, come out, or we WILL make you wear the pink one!" Rukia threatened. "It isn't that bad." She further cajoled, attempting once more to get him to leave the bedroom he shared with Kenpachi. He had barricaded himself inside it fifteen minutes ago refusing to exit.

"Hmm, now I'm not so sure I want to persuade him to come out," A second female voice joined Rukia's, "Go ahead and stay in there, I would like to see you in the pink one!" Rangiku called into the room cheerfully.

The statement was quickly followed by the door sliding open slightly and Ichigo's scowling face looking like a thundercloud. "Why are you insisting on this again?" He was hiding his body from view with the door, showing only his face.

Rukia sighed, having gone over this what felt like a hundred times before, "It is common courtesy that anyone who is not on active rotations to be out of their uniforms during duty hours. We aren't asking you to give up Zangetsu, only your uniform. I used to stay in your closet remember? I know you own an almost exact copy of the one we gave you, even if your dad does have to bully you into wearing it. So just suck it up already and come out, or we will take drastic measures with you. Pink silk, with purple obi, and white accents would do the trick I think. Captain Kyouraku would help us out with that, I believe he would enjoy the laugh."

"He would," Ichigo grumbled darkly, before sliding the door completely open. They had given him a mens casual kimono. It really wasn't that bad as Rukia had said. It was a nice dark blue that managed to not clash with his hair, and the closure around his waist was charcoal grey. Altogether it was subdued and masculine, meaning Rukia had picked it out, not Rangiku.

There was really only one reason Ichigo was protesting the change of wardrobe, as it had been pointed out he had worn something very much like this during festivals to please his father and Yuzu, the way the garment wrapped around and tied showed his son more clearly than any other outfit he had put on. At least his Shihakusho was loose and black, giving him at least a little camouflage.

"Everyone is going to see him," Ichigo pointed out, looking down at the incriminating curve.

"You're so cute though! Why hide it?" The excited exclamation only earned Rangiku a furious scowl, but she grinned back unrepentantly. Ichigo suddenly found himself with a bit more understanding of Toushiro's short fuse.

Rukia tried valiantly to hide her laugh, "That is a good question Ichigo, stop scowling at her." She ordered, feeling herself getting closer to failing at holding back her laughter. "Everyone who counts knows about it, news this juicy doesn't stay secret long around here, Shinigami get bored easily. You shouldn't worry about hiding him away, and besides, even if we let you keep the uniform, he isn't going to stay hidden long. He wants to show himself off."

"I blame Kenpachi for that one," Ichigo muttered, running a hand along his baby, a habit he had picked up since finding out he was pregnant. "Such a show off."

"Ah Ichigo, can't blame him for all of it. You can be pretty eye catching yourself when you have something to say, or did you not just put a man in the Fourth division for making you angry?" Rukia teased.

"That's it, my son is doomed." Ichigo stated, unable to deny the observation.

Rangiku was happy to disagree, "Not doomed, just you are going to have your hands full raising him!"

"I don't even want to think about a teenage combination of Kenpachi and me, but if the Seireitei survived both of us, it should survive him?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

Both Lieutenants sweat dropped at the thought, but Rukia recovered first, "Well, honestly I don't know. It did manage to survive my Captain, and Captain Kyouraku at the Academy at the same time though, and they are even still here. Surely one child can't cause so much chaos that people with centuries of experience can't help you guys out controlling him every once and awhile?"

"...Rukia, you have met his parents right?" Ichigo teased.

The teasing conversation was interrupted by Shinji running up to them, "Good you got him to change, I'll be kidnapping him now all right? Bye!" The sentence was fast and cheerful, the over-hyper Visored pulling Ichigo along before he could utter more than a grunt of protest.

Rangiku and Rukia looked at the dust outline of where Ichigo was just standing, then each other, and back to the empty doorway in shock, "Did Ichigo just get kidnapped?" Rukia finally asked.

"I think so," Rangiku replied, turning her head to look where the Captain had drug off the Substitute.

Rukia tilted her head in confusion, "Do we help him?"

"Wasn't that the Fifth Squad Captain?" Rangiku had her hand under her chin thoughtfully, "I think they know each other, they should be fine."

"Oh that was Shinji? I didn't get a good look at him," Rukia wasn't concerned anymore, "Yeah Ichigo's fine. Want to go get some lunch?"

"You read my mind!" The other Lieutenant was extremely enthusiastic about the idea. "Though I have to ask, would you really have made him wear a pink kimono if he hadn't come out in the blue one?"

"What do you think?" Rukia responded mysteriously, leading Rangiku off to their favorite place to grab a quick bite to eat before having to get back to their duties.

Meanwhile Ichigo had finally found out why Shinji had kidnapped him, "You know if you wanted me to come visit with you guys, you could have just invited me." He protested grumpily as he was finally released. He was able to spot a circle of people containing all the Visoreds, Lunch had been set out, and the smell wafting towards him made his stomach growl.

...Maybe he could stay for awhile.

Shinji laughed at him, "I thought that might make you a little more complacent."

"Oh shut up," Ichigo sent a glare at the grinning Captain, the pair heading over to the group, who had waited for them in order to begin their meal.

Before they had reached the others, a projectile hit Shinji in the side of the head, causing him to cry out in pain clutching the injury. Ichigo looked down at the ground to see Hiyori's sandal, "Damn it Shinji, what did you do this time? He was all grumpy when you brought him in!" The blonde girl raged, while retrieving her shoe.

"He dragged me here without telling me where we were going." Ichigo informed, watching the show as Hiyori continued to pummel Shinji.

"This could take awhile," Kensei observed, "Hey Ichigo, might as well come eat while she finishes up with him." He invited, beginning to fill his own bowl with rice; the other Visoreds following his lead.

Another growl from his stomach had Ichigo listening to Kensei in double time. "All right already, I'll feed you," He whispered to his son.

He settled into a spot between Kensei and Mashiro, filling a bowl with rice and reaching for a strip of tender meat. He didn't have odd cravings that turned everyone else's stomach, but his son did demand food, and lots of it; protein rich things being the main items. Between the heavenly smell and rich taste, he was nearly forgetting to chew. The Visoreds were really good cooks, and his son very much approved of the meal.

"Yep, he's pregnant." Kensei observed, the laughter in his voice making Ichigo scowl at him, but he reached for another strip of meat anyway.

After swallowing he managed a reply, "What was your first hint?" He challenged.

"Well the Captain's meeting was a pretty good one." Kensei admitted. "Didn't expect you of all people to show up pregnant, but I gotta say, a baby bump is a good look for you."

Reflexively, Ichigo covered up the mentioned bump with his hand, another scowl on his face. "What do you mean by of all people you didn't expect me to show up like this?" He asked defensively.

This time the laughter wasn't just in Kensei's voice, but filling the room, "Back down Momma Bear, I meant it as a compliment actually. You are too strong, and too stubborn, we were all kinda afraid you wouldn't let yourself have a family with the way you are so extremely protective of everyone. Look, outside the people you are familiar with there may be some who have a problem with the person you chose, or the position you're in, but the ones who know you are going to support you. You have a habit of collecting the strong ones, and the outcasts, as your friends. These are the people that will follow you into Hell if you ask them to, a baby is hardly that kind of situation, personally I think we could do with a youngster running around again."

"Kensei, while I appreciate the sentiment, you are very lucky I don't have Zangetsu on me right now," Ichigo stated in a calm, but extremely dangerous tone. Shinji had dragged him here before he could even grab his Zanpakuto, though he didn't think he was in any danger being surrounded by eight Visoreds.

"Why, it was a compliment!" Kensei protested, the story of the man who ended up in the Fourth division had gotten widely circulated at this point. No one was very willing to test exactly how far Ichigo could be pushed.

A cruel smile, one taken a bit from Kenpachi, and a little from Kisuke, oh and some from just Ichigo himself, "You called me Momma Bear! The only ones who can call me any variation of the word mother are Yachiru and my son."

That caused Mashiro to crack up, "Wait, you let Yachiru call you mother?"

"Oh no," A very bruised Shinji was returning, "He lets her call him Mommy."

A drop in air pressure ensued as all the Visoreds took in a breath at once in order to all start laughing at the same time. Each receiving a glare from Ichigo.

"And you were protesting Momma Bear?" Love had to comment.

Ichigo crossed his arms and scowled, "Could you say no to her?"

"Not if I wanted to keep all parts attached," Love admitted.

"The same rules I allow my children, do NOT apply to everyone else, understood?" Ichigo pressed. "I already had to correct Kenpachi's thinking on that one, his lip healed up, but his eye is going to take awhile. I think he is proud of it, or he would have gone to someone from the Fourth."

"You hit him?" Hiyori was very interested in this, or it seemed that way.

Ichigo looked at her incredulously, "He's Kenpachi, I always hit him. What did you think we were going to do, cuddle?"

She looked at his stomach pointedly, "Well you weren't fighting _all_ the time."

He smirked, "I didn't say we were fighting, I just said I hit him." He pointed out. "I really do think he is proud of the black eye. He likes irritating me to the point where I leave visible marks. Something about me always holding back too much."

"Hmm, you do hold back a lot," This was Rose, slightly more reserved than the rest, as in not bursting out laughing every two minutes, but you didn't dare let your guard drop around him. "This time, I think he beat you in leaving visible marks. His claim on you is going to be there a lot longer, I'd say another five months or so."

"Yeah, he has me beat there," His hand was back over his son again. "I can always just keep leaving bruises on him though, I'm sure he will keep giving me reasons to re-freshen them."

"You are going to make life around here very interesting aren't you?" Kensei asked, a little rhetorically.

A grin, "If I don't, my son will. Rukia, Rangiku, and I were just discussing what it was going to be like raising a mixture of Kenpachi and I. Do you think the Seireitei can handle it?"

"At least the masons will get some work for awhile," Love was the first to respond, the others too busy blanching at the thought.

"I was hoping for more girls though, there are too many males in the high ranks," Hiyori complained once she had recovered her wits.

"I agree," Lisa added. "Though there has been an improvement in the number of female Lieutenants."

Ichigo had to chuckle, "About that, I might be having a boy, but there is going to be a girl running around about my son's age too. She will be plenty strong with who her parents are." Yumichika had allowed others to tell about his daughter now that Ikkaku knew, much like Ichigo, it kept him from having to do it himself. Although in Yumichika's case he was welcoming the attention he was beginning to get.

"Who else is pregnant, someone we know?" Lisa asked, curiosity spiking a bit, people caught her interest.

"I think you do, it's the Fifth seat in Squad Eleven, Yumichika Ayasegawa. Ikkaku and him were pretty active during the Winter War, so you might remember them from there even if you don't work with the Eleventh much now." Ichigo informed.

"That peacock?" Shinji was laughing himself sick again, "Oh this is going to be hilarious!"

"Yumichika is going to be funny, but I think Ikkaku might surprise you, he has a lot of practice dealing with his temper tantrums." Ichigo pointed out.

"You could be right, but forgive me if I happen to have a tin of popcorn next to me on some occasions," Shinji was still grinning.

Ichigo could only shake his head, at least some things would never change, and that he could count as a good thing.

Two weeks later he was escaping Retsu's clutches. He liked her, really he did, and he had a great amount of respect for the healer, but damn was that woman scary at times. She was checking over the baby and him, a simple enough endeavor, well it was intended to be. Except this time when his son reacted to the Kido scan, he felt it. His surprised reaction to what felt like a cotton ball being thrown at his insides had her turning what was supposed to be a simple check up into an hour long ordeal.

The only thing that saved Ichigo's pride and sanity, and he thanked every deity he had ever heard of for this one, was this particular visit had not happened with his father. Retsu had remained calm and professional, it was obviously not the first time she had talked a reluctant patient through the uncomfortable and potentially humiliating feeling of getting the first thorough scan. Good news came from it though, everything he needed was forming correctly, but exactly how she had found that out was something he wanted copious amounts of brain bleach in order to forget.

Now that he was away from her clutches and gone from the Fourth he could let himself think about what happened to bring on the torture. His baby moved! He had suspected he might have been feeling something from him when he was laying or sitting still, but it was so light and unfocused he wasn't sure it was the baby. This time, there was no doubt, that funny little brush was his son, Retsu had confirmed it for him.

"Hey, Ichigo! Where are you heading?" It was Renji calling to him, with one of the younger members of his squad tagging along, Rikichi. The young Shinigami worshiped Renji, and every once and awhile Ichigo caught the Lieutenant letting the unseated squad member follow him around on duties to possibly teach the kid a thing or two. He thought it was a very good thing to do, even if Ichigo did suspect it was a very subtle way to impress Rukia, but hey if it worked and somebody was helped by it, why stop him?

"I was just escaping the Fourth, are you two finished?" He noticed they were heading back towards the Sixth's compound instead of away from it.

Renji nodded, "Yeah, wasn't much work today, even the Captain should be finishing up by now."

"That's a good thing right? It means there isn't anything going horribly wrong." Ichigo pointed out.

The Shinigami with fiery red hair let out a huff, "Oh it's great for the Soul Society, but we get bored as Hell. Nothing to do but catch up on paperwork and train. We've had years to catch up, so that's pretty much done, and for any one who has already achieved Bankai training opponents are hard to come by. There aren't that many to chose from willing to fight for no reason other than to fight."

"Oh right, you used to be in the Eleventh didn't you?" Ichigo remembered, the attitude a familiar one to him.

Renji nodded, Rikichi looking on in curiosity, "I think I spent the most time there, the Eleventh probably had the most impact on how I fight. That's most likely why Captain and I get along fine, right up until a battle breaks out. He is all about planning and restraint, while I just jump in and try to win as quickly as I can."

"I asked Toushiro not long ago, Captains have a choice, so why does he work with you if you fight so differently?" Ichigo couldn't stop himself from asking.

Renji shrugged, "I don't know. I thought it was Rukia at first, that she might have recommended me, but the attempted execution changed my mind. If he was willing to let her die, why would he keep me on to please her?"

"Because Renji's style is different but effective," Rikichi chipped in, surprising the others. Ichigo had been expecting someone timid like Hanataro, but he was at least a little more outgoing. "Captain Kuchiki has been taught to recognize power and talent, Renji has both, even if they are not in the same style as his own."

Ichigo had to think about the young Shinigami's words for a moment before something clicked, "You know, that reminds me of something, Kenpachi loves pissing off Byakuya. The two of them play a kind of game, they irritate each other until one blows up, and they fight. The goal for Kenpachi is the fight itself of course, but I think for Byakuya he is trying to figure out Kenpachi. I would be interested to know what he has concluded from his experiments."

"You could always ask him," Renji suggested.

"Ah no," Ichigo declined, "That's okay, I've met Senbonzakura, and I'm in no hurry to see it again."

"You have a free pass for a little while. Captain won't hurt you until the kid is born," Renji assured, a bit of an evil grin crossing his face, at least he was admitting the question could provoke a negative reaction from the unpredictable noble.

"Still not tempting fate," Ichigo stated firmly.

Renji held his hands up in mock surrender, "Fine, I get it. So how is the little rascal anyway, you said you were coming from the Fourth, everything all right?"

"Everything is fine, other than an hour I want to blank from my memory." Ichigo responded, filling Renji in, figuring he would pass it along to Rukia and the others close to him. "He decided to move during the check up and Retsu subjected me to a bunch of scans that I hadn't been put through before. All I am willing to say is the next few months are going to suck, I love my son, but I am going to punch Kenpachi again."

"Same eye?" Renji asked with a laugh, not shocked at the threat.

"I'm considering changing it up, I don't want him to know where I am going to hit next." Ichigo mused, planning out his revenge.

Another laugh from the red pineapple, "Seems like a fair trade, you hit him, because his son is going to be beating you up. First time moving, or just the first time Captain Unohana knew about it?"

"First time I knew it was really him," Ichigo admitted, "And Renji; Rukia I was expecting to be curious about the baby, but this is a little odd. What's going on?"

There was red across his cheeks the same shade as his hair, and he rubbed his neck guiltily, "Well, you know I kind of like Rukia a lot."

"I'm pretty sure everyone in the Soul Society knows you like her." Ichigo responded, noticing even Rikichi was nodding his head with a smile.

"I want a family with her, and you would be the first one I know this closely to have a baby." Renji confessed.

Ah so that explained it, "Renji, if you want kids, talk to her about it. This wasn't planned, so I can only help you so much. Oh but if I were you, I would go about it the proper way, and talk to Byakuya first about asking her to marry you. Trust me, you might just survive that way."

"You think so?" He asked hopefully.

"Shall I rephrase?" Without waiting for an answer, Ichigo continued, "If you don't marry Rukia first, Byakuya will castrate you, crucify you, and only then will he consider killing you. A noble family like his might appreciate the gesture of being asked first before the proposal though, it can't hurt, seeing as how Rukia has only been throwing you the biggest hints ever since I've known the two of you."


	5. Love Is Strong

**Surrender**

**Shadow of an Echo**

**A/N **So yeah, bad Echo, been awhile. To make up for the wait, here is a chapter that is more than half KenIchi smut, well as smutty as I usually get anyway. Enjoy. Oh and next chapter is going to be nothing but pure, unadulterated, fun! As in load Yachiru down with sugar and set her loose O.O**  
**

**Chapter Five**

**Love Is Strong**

Kenpachi was having a good day. He had spent the morning beating up his men, and they hadn't been quite as bad a bunch of pathetic wimps they usually were, maybe they were starting to learn something. The afternoon had been a bit boring initially with a Captain's meeting, but then that princess Kuchiki got himself in trouble for letting his thoughts wander, which was such a rare occurrence it made up for the boredom. Usually it only happened when something involved the noble's sister. Kenpachi could get the noble to put up one hell of a fight if he brought her up, but he usually didn't; he preferred a more direct method than involving a third party in their game. Now he was coming back to his room after his shower, and judging from the spiritual pressure, Ichigo had beaten him to it.

When he slid the door open, he felt a bit lightheaded from the sudden rush of blood south. Whoever it was that got Ichigo to change his clothing had his gratitude, he had thought that for awhile now, but it was never more prominent than in this moment. Ichigo was lounging back on the futon without a care in the world, using one arm to support himself upright, and the other was stroking slowly across his stomach. That's the thing about Ichigo, he moved so easily, so comfortable in his own skin, Kenpachi could watch him for hours and it never failed to get him hard, and he didn't even have to be doing anything.

It nearly killed him to watch Ichigo fight, the rush of blood and adrenaline in his system had him acting more feral than he ever had in the Zaraki district; some part of him realized Ichigo goaded him into loosing control to that point. The Substitute only pushed him to the limit at times when it was safe for him to do so.

Ichigo never gave him anything; Kenpachi earned everything he had received from him. He wouldn't want it any other way. The challenge, that was the thing that made Kenpachi want to keep coming back for more in the beginning, and that was the first thing he fell in love with.

And it was challenge he saw burning once more in Ichigo's eyes as he looked up, still running a hand over the more prominent bump in his abdomen. "You owe me." The words were spoken calmly, a tone far more dangerous than any level of shouting.

"What I do?" He wasn't afraid of Ichigo exactly, but he knew better than to piss him off when in an enclosed room.

The hand stilled over the swell, "I had an appointment with Retsu today."

"It ain't twins is it?" Kenpachi immediately regretted his words when the glare burned through him.

"Kenpachi if you had stuck me with twins I would be chopping your balls off, not sitting here talking." Ichigo warned, a little less calm, but Kenpachi had no doubt the threat was real. Ichigo saw pictures of his mother carrying Karin and Yuzu, no thank you. "What happened was your son has horrible timing."

"Mind 'esplaining that one?" He was lost, and with the way Ichigo was now stretching out in a way meant to tease, he was enjoying it.

"I found out exactly what kind of tests I will be put through, and it's all because he decided to move when Retsu was scanning him." A grimace crossed Ichigo's face in the place of his usual scowl, he was really not looking forward to it. "He always reacts to Kido, but this time I felt it too."

A wide proud grin stretched across Kenpachi's face, "You felt him kick?"

"He could have picked a better time." Ichigo directed a glare at his stomach, but there was no heat behind it. "You really do owe me. That appointment really, really sucked, and it's only going to get worse from there."

Flailing around for something, anything to get himself out of trouble, "Want me tah come with yah?"

"NO!" Immediate and forceful, "It's embarrassing enough with just Retsu and me there. There's poking and prodding, plus some things I'd rather not talk about; or think about for that matter."

Kenpachi was stepping carefully towards him, the way a lion might approach a particularly grumpy lioness, it didn't always end so well for the lion. "Our son is healthy?" Distraction, maybe that will work to diffuse Ichigo's temper.

"He's fine, snug and happy as clam in there while his daddy gets tortured," Ichigo grumbled, starting to run his hand over their boy again.

Kenpachi settled next to Ichigo, desperate now for contact, but wondering just how far he could push his luck before Ichigo's control snapped. A fucking amazing sight to see, but not one productive to his current state of need, "I owe yah huh?"

"Big time," The casual reply held a world of possibilities.

"I can think of a way or two," Mouth on Ichigo's throat, running his hands along the powerful body heading downward.

Ichigo shivered, and when he spoke, his voice was lowered and clouded with lust, "Oh no you don't, not this time." Ichigo caught Kenpachi's hands in his own, and moved his neck away from Kenpachi's kiss.

Damn so close, the denial of the touching made him groan, especially when he could hear how much Ichigo was turned on by his touch.

"This time, I am in control." Ichigo spoke suddenly, voice changing from the calm steady tone to a firm confidant one that went straight to Kenpachi's groin. "Lay down, on your back." He commanded.

Ah, one of those games. They played them sometimes. His curiosity had him following the order, stretching out on his back as Ichigo had asked him to do. The goal in these was not always clear cut, but there were rules, and the number one rule was no matter what command you gave, there was to be no humiliation. They both had far too much pride to put up with that shit.

Ichigo settled himself over Kenpachi, straddling his waist, letting his legs rest on the futon below them for the time being. "No touching me. Only I get to touch until I give you permission." Ichigo laid down his rule.

"Yer tryin tah kill me," Kenpachi growled as Ichigo's burning hot mouth ran down his chest, but he was denied the pleasure of touching his lover. Their hands were still entwined from when Ichigo had stopped his earlier touching, but he was holding them above their heads to keep them out of the way.

Ichigo smirked and kept up the slow teasing trail, he knew the sensitive patches of skin over collarbone and in the hollow of jaw and neck where more of those primal groans could be wrenched from Kenpachi. "Why would I kill you now?" He bit down on the pulse point in Kenpachi's neck, earning a growl with the Captain bucking up into Ichigo's hold at the feel, "When there is so much more fun to be had in doing this to you?"

Ichigo had to think a moment on where to go from there, he had a destination in mind, but was mainly winging the method of achieving it. Freeing one hand from Kenpachi's, he brought it down to whisper across the visible scars on the larger body below him. Such a feather light touch had the muscle bound frame arching upwards, maddeningly searching for more pressure, which Ichigo denied.

"Ah, do something damn it!" Kenpachi finally protested, when Ichigo did little more then advance to using his fingernail to retrace the path over his scars.

A slow smirk, and a wicked gleam in his eyes reserved for Kenpachi alone to see, "Do something huh? Okay." He slid backwards a little ways, until he was no longer straddling Kenpachi's waist, but his hips; feeling exactly how excited this little game was making him.

"Killin' me would be kinder," Kenpachi groaned as Ichigo rubbed against him, something he wanted with ever fiber of his being, except for one little detail.

They were still clothed.

Ichigo noticed that problem, and was working on one side of it now, mouth and teeth back on Kenpachi as he stripped the Captain with the same smooth efficiency the older man had shown him.

The game didn't stop there though, when still sitting on top of Kenpachi, he started to disrobe himself. Shoulders first, then defined chest and arms were revealed to an increasingly more desperate Kenpachi. He didn't think it was possible to get more aroused, he was proved wrong when Ichigo finally pulled away the last of the cloth covering him, and Kenpachi was treated to the uninhibited sight of his body.

He had one thing to say to the idiots that didn't appreciate the sight of their partner's bodies starting to grow and swell with, their, child; fucking morons had no right to be fathers.

Ichigo saw the lust shining through even sharper, and deliberately ran his hand over the tight skin that Kenpachi's gaze was locked onto. "You like seeing this?"

"I fucking love seeing you, anytime, anywhere; our boy just makes it better." Kenpachi felt no shame admitting that.

Ichigo leaned forward, until that hard little bulge was pressing against Kenpachi's abdomen, and he was kissing Kenpachi. He took his time, languishing in the contact of body and mouth, before drawing away and to the side, to speak in his ear, "And what about when I'm so big I can't move around? When I have to be helped out of chairs, or out of bed, and feel all ugly and fat?"

The rule could go fuck itself as far as Kenpachi could care at this point, he draped his arms over Ichigo's back, trapping him. "Every day I see you getting bigger, I get prouder, seeing you like that will be torture for me. I'll hardly be able tah keep my hands off yah."

A disbelieving laugh, "Proud I'd believe, but wanting me? Now that I would doubt."

Kenpachi crashed their mouths together, "That is MY son in your belly. It's OUR boy that will be keeping yah from doing those things. He'll be big and strong because of yah carryin him. Why in the Hell wouldn't I want yah while yah do it?"

"Oh really? Prove it then, show me you'll still want me." Ichigo challenged, attempting to draw away from Kenpachi.

The arms trapping him in place tightened, keeping him from rolling away or getting up, Kenpachi was devouring his mouth again. Now it was just one arm keeping him in place the other reaching for the oil. Slicked fingers left a trail down Ichigo's back, fluid warmed by body heat easing their purpose once they reached their destination.

Ichigo realized Kenpachi's intentions when those strong hands went to his shoulders after finishing their task, easing him upright and back, sliding him towards the need the Captain had been nursing since entering the room and catching Ichigo looking so damn arousing.

That was okay, Ichigo was having a similar reaction to Kenpachi, the man bursting into the room full of lust and fire from a day of training, still damp from his shower, and he hadn't bothered to put the spikes back into his hair. Just the way Ichigo preferred him. The game he initiated intended to stoke the flame until Kenpachi was ready to burst with it.

All thought blanked as he sunk down on Kenpachi, massive hands helping to guide his decent more comfortably. It wasn't long before they were moving, arching, and bucking together. This was their little secret, the tiny little thing that truly sparked his ire when the idiot in the arena commented that a warrior never surrendered. Ichigo didn't receive because he was submissive, he did it because it felt damn good.

Kenpachi thrust up, and groaned at the feel of Ichigo surrounding him, finally getting what he wanted. He never had much interest in sex before, though there had been prospects, but most of those that came to him were the type that wanted to be dominated. They had a desire to be controlled, to be used with a heavy hand; basically they wanted to have someone else do everything for them. Certain dominants enjoyed this, and honorable ones did it well and in a way that actually took care of the submissive.

Kenpachi hated it when there was no fight in a person, when they let themselves be used. Be who you are, don't be ashamed, and for fuck's sake defend yourself because someone else may not be there to do it for you. That was how he survived, and that was the lesson he tried to teach his men.

Ichigo's hands gripped onto him with bruising force as they kept meeting, pulling him deeper inside, trying to get more friction. His own hands around the small of Ichigo's back, steadying him in their coupling, even as it allowed him to get the perfect view of Ichigo's muscular body beginning to fill with their son.

This was what Kenpachi wanted, someone who challenged him, who fought back at every turn, and who thought nothing of giving him a black eye or new scar. Ichigo could command him, and Kenpachi liked it.

He let one of his hands follow the curve of Ichigo's back, over the V of his hip, brushed a light touch over their boy, before settling down on Ichigo's straining arousal. The moan Ichigo let out was well earned as he stroked. They found a rhythm together, something not too difficult with how well their bodies tuned in to each other, smoothing out the coupling into one of growls, and moans, of pleasure with spiritual pressure licking their skin from desire.

When they were left panting and spent from completion, Ichigo was once again lounging stretched out on his side, but this time Kenpachi was laying next to him, "I won you know."

"Won what?" He was simply far too satisfied to get worked up, or move, not for a while anyway.

A little smirk, "You broke the rules and touched me without my permission, so I won."

"Yah told me tah prove something so I did," Kenpachi defended his actions, "That's permission."

"I know that, but you broke the rule before I said it," Ichigo reminded. "So I repeat, I win."

"Fine," Kenpachi caved, knowing he would push the same point if the situation were reversed. "What do I owe you this time?" There was always a price for losing a game, otherwise it wasn't as fun. The same rule applied to the price as the game itself, no humiliation, humor yes, but nothing that could hurt the other's pride.

That smile was downright scary, "Oh just a little trip to the living world."

Kenpachi looked at him oddly, "Why's that a price?"

"Cause we're going to visit my dad." Ichigo informed, the same smile on his face, "I think Yachiru should meet her grandpa don't you think? Also maybe you should introduce yourself before his grandson is born? Might take some of the sting out of the situation."

Kenpachi had already been threatened with evisceration, which he knew would happen should he screw up, now this? "Are you sure about this?"

Ichigo tilted his head curiously at him before chuckling, "Kenpachi, are you….afraid of my dad?"

"No!" Kenpachi responded quickly, a little too quickly. Ichigo's steady gaze wore him down, "You are strong as Hell, I don't want to piss your father off, never had to deal with angry dads before."

Not a chuckle, this was downright laughter, "I'll let you in on a little thing you should know about, in my family, Dad is not the scary one; Karin is."

"Isn't that your little sister?" Kenpachi asked curiously.

"Talk to Toushiro," Ichigo replied mysteriously, before making himself comfortable to get some sleep. "I don't mean we should head off tomorrow, maybe in a few weeks or so. It really hasn't been that long since I left, I just don't want to be gone the whole time I'm pregnant, I think dad might just storm the Seireitei if I tried that one. He's embarrassing enough at home."

"Right, give me a heart attack, then tell me it can wait, yah really are tryin tah kill me." Kenpachi was shaking his head again.

Ichigo's eyes opened again, "I have something that might take your mind off things."

"What?" Now he was curious, Ichigo looked too tired for another round already.

"Come here," He ordered, pulling Kenpachi's hand over, setting it on the curve of his stomach. "You might have to wait a minute or two."

Kenpachi waited with growing anticipation until, "There, did you feel that?" Ichigo asked, as a brush, about what you would feel from a sakura petal blown across your skin in the wind, touched the palm of his hand. "He's kicking again."

"That's him?" He couldn't believe it, the brush was so soft.

Ichigo nodded, putting his hand over Kenpachi's, "Yes, Retsu confirmed it. I've been feeling something funny for a little bit, only I wasn't sure it was him; it definitely is though. He is going to get stronger and stronger, until there can be no doubt he's the one doing it."

They stayed that way through the night, Ichigo sleeping, with Kenpachi's hand protectively resting over their son. After that Kenpachi would face down anything for them, how frightening could a few relatives be?

He managed to track down Toushiro during an off time about a week later, duties and annoyances keeping them apart in the meantime. "I need to talk to yah, feel like a spar?" He offered to the frosty Captain, knowing the kid rarely passed over the opportunity unlike most of the other Captains. This time he had also left Yachiru with Ichigo, so his current bind wouldn't make it back to the women's association.

"I have a free afternoon," Toushiro allowed, "Your training yards or mine?"

"Haven't busted up yours for awhile," It would also hopefully keep Ichigo from knowing he had actually talked to Toushiro about this like he had advised. The kid was smart, and he had met Ichigo's family, there was merit in the suggestion. Kenpachi just didn't want to owe Ichigo another point, he could get surprisingly creative in assigning the paybacks.

Toushiro lead him to the training arena, his squad members scattering to the sidelines as soon as they saw Kenpachi with him. He set himself into his fighting stance, one he had practiced relentlessly in the academy, having such a large sword with a small body had caused many problems for him. They could talk for a bit while they warmed their muscles up, Kenpachi rarely needed a warm up if it was this late in the day, but he conceded most of his opponents didn't spend the majority of their days fighting.

As the opening clashes of metal rang through the yard, Toushiro opened the conversation, "You wanted to speak with me?"

"Yeah, and how many times have I told yah tah relax? That formal crap doesn't mean nothin' in a fight." Kenpachi corrected, taking a high swipe that Toushiro ducked. Kenpachi wondered when Toushiro would notice he tended to take shots that forced the other Captain into taking advantage of his size, if you had an asset use it, even if others didn't perceive it that way. "Had a talk with Ichigo, he wants tah visit his family soon. I don't blame him, but he wants Yachiru and me tah go with him. You know 'em, what the Hell am I in for?"

"Total chaos," Toushiro replied bluntly, responding with a volley of his own attacks hitting low on the tall opponent. "Isshin Kurosaki is hard to figure out, nearly as powerful as Ichigo, but not even close to his intensity. He is dangerous only when you threaten his family or home, but those he considers family doesn't always mean blood. He is capable of being serious, but prefers not to be from what I have seen."

Conversation was halted as a series of quick back and forth movements had them pushing each other across the training yard, Kenpachi keeping his attacks high, Toushiro low.

"So Ichigo's dad is just like him, if yah managed to get him either drunk, or into Yachiru's candy stash?" Kenpachi tried to understand once talking was possible again.

The description made Toushiro pause long enough he was almost clipped by Kenpachi's ragged Zanpakuto, but he recovered just in time, twisting out of the way. "…Now that you mention it, yeah that's about right. I'd imagine Ichigo would act a lot like Isshin if he ever let himself get drunk to the point of not really caring anymore and added a massive amount of sugar on top of it."

"How massive?" Kenpachi asked with narrowed eyes.

Even Toushiro had to think about it for a moment, "I'm not sure even Yachiru's stash would be enough, but Captain Ukitake's might be." Was it Toushiro's imagination, or did Kenpachi just blanch?

Another volley of attacks passed, this time a combination of high and low to start tripping the other up, before the next question, "Who's next?"

"Ichigo has twin sisters, did you know that?" Toushiro asked, lashing out in the general area of Kenpachi's navel.

"Yeah, Karin and Yuzu, never met them though," Kenpachi admitted. "He talks about them a bit more than he does his father." There were perks to being in the good graces of the Captain who ran the information gathering squad.

"Yuzu is very kind, she takes care of the house and family, plus any stray people that wander in. I don't know how many Shinigami she's given hot meals to over the years, no questions asked. During the mess with the Arrancars she didn't even know anything yet, and it was like just another day at the office for her. I will warn you right now, touch a hair on her head, even accidently, and you will have three pissed off Kurosaki's to deal with. Oh and her family are not the only protectors Yuzu Kurosaki has, they are just the ones she knows about, she can be a bit oblivious about how much people care about her." A dangerous gleam in aqua eyes let Kenpachi know where one of Yuzu's other protectors was. He imagined there were quite a few other ones scattered around the Seireitei if the girl was as kind as Toushiro said she was.

It was amazing what a little kindness could get you with Shinigami, just look at Retsu, NO ONE told that woman no. Ever.

"I don't hurt kids, specially not little girls," Kenpachi protested. "Yah think Yachiru and her will get along?"

"I think Yuzu is going to spoil her like crazy." It wasn't too hard to see. Toushiro couldn't stop the quiet laugh when the next thought hit, "And it would also give you and Ichigo a break since Yuzu would actually be a good female influence on her, rather than if she learned certain things from Rangiku."

The next attack had a little more power behind it, and Toushiro realized his comment had struck a nerve, "You keep your Lieutenant as far away from Yachiru as possible got it?"

"Since when does she listen to me?" Toushiro pointed out, as he protected himself from the onslaught.

"You better try," Kenpachi grumbled.

A put upon sigh, "I'll do what I can."

"Good." Kenpachi relaxed into the steady back and forth that might actually teach the tiny Captain something about how to handle himself against a physically larger opponent. "Now the last one, Karin?"

A red blush coated pale cheeks, and Kenpachi discovered something interesting, so this was why Ichigo had him talk to Toushiro specifically out of all the Shinigami that knew his family. "Good luck."

"Huh?" He was more amused than anything else, but he wanted to see what he could get the other Captain to admit to.

"Take all of Ichigo's temper, add in twice the stubbornness, the potential I believe to at least equal his power, and a way of speaking that can cut a person to the quick; put it all in a teenage girl and you get Karin. She is not kind like Yuzu, or as theatric as Isshin, she says exactly what is on her mind. I will say it again, good luck." There was a little smirk turning up the corner of his lips at the last bit, he was doing everything but say if Karin didn't approve of Kenpachi she would tear him a new one.

He got the message loud and clear anyway. "You've had your eye on her for how long?"

The blush deepened, but the reply that came was no confession, "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!"


	6. Mine

**Surrender **

**Shadow of an Echo**

**A/N **I am so sorry this took so long to get out. There has been a heck of a lot of hassles going on in real life, and it kind of killed the writing bug. I'm trying to pull myself out of my slump with trying some different fandom pieces (Hetalia if you're interested), and just trudging along, but it's not been easy. I hope you like it, even though I have no real excuse for making you wait months to read it other than I just couldn't muster the gumption for a humor story when I was feeling so low.

**Chapter Six**

**Mine**

There was a certain amount of vicious glee flooding through Ichigo as they stepped through the Senkaimon and Kenpachi realized exactly where Ichigo intended this little reunion to take place.

"Yah brought us tah the shop?" He observed in dread, the familiar surroundings causing more fear than a gang of Vasto Lordes would invoke in an entry-level academy student.

"Where did you think I was going to bring us?" Ichigo ribbed, "This is my place now, well ours would be a better way of saying it since everyone knows about us now, Uryu and Orihime are only watching it for us. I wasn't going to come back to the Living World and not check on the shop."

Kenpachi looked at Ichigo like he was crazy, "Do yah still sell the same thing?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Ichigo responded with a smirk, Yachiru perking up at the exchange from her place riding on Kenpachi's broad shoulder like usual.

"Wait till Yachiru finds out what yah have in the boxes." Kenpachi muttered. This could not possibly be a good idea, he just didn't see any way taking Yachiru into a candy store would end well.

"Ichigo, you're back!" They had been spotted, Orihime attacking him with a hug. "Ohh and you brought them with you this time; that was nice of them to come along."

"One of them didn't have a choice Orihime, Kenpachi here lost a little competition we were having. His penalty was he has to meet dad." Ichigo informed, his smile showing both Orihime, and Uryu behind her that their friend had come a very long way when it came to relaxing and enjoying life. They had a feeling that change had something to do with the giant of a Captain standing behind him.

Uryu was the one to talk to Kenpachi, "Do the other Soul Reapers know how cruel Ichigo can be?"

Kenpachi let out a burst of laughter, "I doubt it. They seem to think he is a saint or somethin' just cause he don't like seein' people that ain't done nothing wrong get hurt if he can do something 'bout it."

"I heard that," Ichigo warned, words serious, tone teasing.

"You were meant to," Uryu replied with a shrug.

"So how's the baby Ichigo?" Orihime couldn't hold the question in anymore, Uryu had suggested maybe Ichigo would prefer it if they didn't act much differently towards him while they visited. She wasn't able to resist though, he was just too cute not to ask!

"He's doing really good, starting to kick," Ichigo told her with a bit of pride showing in his voice.

That was Orihime's undoing, any intention she had of controlling herself went out the window and she launched herself at him again, just like when he first told everyone here he was pregnant, wanting to feel the baby move. Ichigo was looking a bit wild eyed, but realizing no one was going to be able to stop her when she was like this, moved her hand to where his son was softly kicking.

He might have put up more of a protest if he'd had any idea of the volume of squeals she could produce. He had heard some pretty loud ones in the past, but this topped it by far. "Ah Orihime, I'm glad you're excited and all, but my eardrums will thank you if you lower the volume just a bit, thanks." He mustered the courage to say after it felt a lot like his ears just might bleed.

She backed off quickly, a blush staining her cheeks, "Sorry." She stammered. "But this is so exciting! You're having a baby. I don't care if everyone else thinks it's a little weird. This is you, our Ichigo that protected us all, took care of us, and gave up all of the power he had gained to save everyone he cared about; now finally something good is happening to you that is just for you. I already love your son, and I can't wait to meet him!" There was such a sweet smile on her face at the sincere words that Ichigo couldn't help it, for once it was his turn to hug her.

He was _not_ crying, really he wasn't.

"You haven't thought about it like that have you?" Uryu realized, knowing as airheaded as his Orihime could be, she had a way of seeing the heart of a matter.

"A little, when I visited mom's grave before I left I noticed some of it, but not laid out like that," Ichigo admitted, silently agreeing with Uryu, Orihime was the hidden treasure of the group of four Ryoka that stormed the Seireitei in the effort of retrieving Rukia. They all had their strengths, but she was the soul of them all.

Kenpachi interrupted them, "Hey Ichigo, remember the Shinigami that threatened me? He mentioned the reason he didn't tell yeah this could happen was so yah could have somethin' good for once. Yah think this is what he meant?"

Too shocked to react beyond slow blinking, Ichigo remembered the conversation Kenpachi was getting at, "Kisuke would pull something like that wouldn't he?" He mused. "Possibly as a way of paying me back for that bullshit he involved me in with Aizen. It was one thing to do it, it was another to not tell me about it." That still burned him. Would it have killed Kisuke to tell him about the plan before the battle? Might not have changed how he acted, but the way it panned out still felt like he had been lead through a maze by his nose. It was as if they didn't have faith in him to make the right choices without insuring he did.

The last bit of musing confused Uryu though, "How would he know engineering this would be a reward and not a punishment?" He felt safe enough asking considering Ichigo was obviously happy, or there would be a Hell of a lot more rubble.

"Because despite how many times we might have disagreed or not seen eye to eye, that idiot knows me," Ichigo confessed, hand unconsciously on his stomach again. "I didn't know it was possible to have my own children, so obviously I never thought about it happening, but now that it is I'm happy he is here. You guys should know me well enough by now to know that I don't really care what others think about me when it comes to the people I love, they better not dare look down on me because I'm carrying him, it will not end well for them."

Kenpachi was trying, and failing, to stop his laughter, "Yah already put at least three people in the fourth for sayin' crap about yah or Yumichika. If yah don't care, why do yah protest when I tease yah about calling yah mommy? Or when the others got yah tah switch outta your uniform?"

"You're really curious about that aren't you?" Ichigo realized, and bells shook denoting his lover's nod. "It's about pride, I want to be acknowledged as me. I'm still Ichigo Kurosaki, the same person who fought beside you taking down Hollows, Arrancar, Espada, and Aizen. That person did not up and disappear because our son decided he wanted to join the world. I'm sure Yumichika feels the same way, and probably stronger since he had a lot more time as a warrior before this happened. The big things are what I will violently defend against anyone saying. Why? Because I don't think it is a bad thing that a strong warrior, a fighter, a soldier, like me or Yumichika, should take a time out and have a family. Anyone who thinks this makes us weak should wait until we have children to protect, and a family to fight for. We will be far more deadly when this is over."

"Wait if your pride is telling you to fight and defend, how can you say you don't care what people think?" Ichigo's logic was giving Uryu a headache again.

"What I meant is, the way people think is not going to make me hide away in shame or make me not want my son or love him any less. I have done nothing wrong as a person or a warrior, and he is strong and healthy so I'd say I'm not doing anything wrong as a parent either. That is what I mean by not caring, they can't change my mind about my son, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let them continue to bash my pride and badmouth him at the same time." Ichigo elaborated, clearing up his point a little better.

"I think I understand now," Uryu responded as he slowly assimilated the information.

A sudden happy shriek cut all of them off, "CANDY!" The very hyper voice of Yachiru had three out of four adults sweat dropping while the fourth, the very amused owner of the establishment just laughed and laughed as his adopted daughter finally got bored and started investigating the wares offered at his store.

Kenpachi looked down to his laughing lover, "Do yah have any idea what yer in for?" He asked ominously, knowing it was too late to stop the impending natural disaster that was Yachiru on a sugar high.

Ichigo grinned up at him, cinnamon brown eyes glinting mischievously, "None whatsoever, but if we can't handle her, how do you expect to chase down a miniature combination of us?"

Orihime and Uryu were pretty sure Kenpachi was about to pass out at that one, but they were proven wrong when he burst out laughing. "Can't wait," He claimed, before realizing they had lost sight of Yachiru down one of the candy aisles again. Not good, that girl could eat her own body weight in candy if you took her eyes off her for more than a second.

"Come on, we gotta dig her outta the bins before she eats too much. Yah want tah meet yer family right? Let's make sure she don't demolish the house." He declared, receiving a genuine smile from Ichigo at his acceptance of the meeting with his family.

That one line from him was enough to change things to being more than a debt repayment. It removed his reluctance about it and earned him some breathing room about the other terms in the agreement. Ichigo and Kenpachi's bargains were all about pride and if you accepted the terms gracefully, they usually let up on the strictness of the repayment.

Gathering up Yachiru was only accomplished when Ichigo reminded her of their original goal of meeting his, and now by extension her, family. Although instead of clambering back up onto her usual perch of Kenpachi's shoulders, she followed them on her own, bouncing around excitedly doing a remarkably good impression of a pinball while Ichigo lead them to his house.

He had made sure to time this visit so his dad and both of his sisters would be home unless there was some kind of emergency they had to deal with. Karin and Isshin had always been able to see spirits, and over time with all the powerful people coming and going around her, Yuzu had slowly developed her own Spiritual Pressure enough to see the spiritual forms of the Shinigami visitors, thus he simply walked up to the front door and knocked. Usually he didn't even bother with knocking, but since he was bringing guests, he was at least attempting to use his manners to make Yuzu happy with him.

The door opened to reveal Isshin dressed in his usual casual clothes with his white coat thrown haphazardly over top, at seeing his son at the door with the three people trailing him, Ichigo had no place to run and was forced to submit to the tackle hug of his father. "Oh my darling son, I have missed you so much! You never come home to see your poor worried family anymore, why even your sisters have been pestering me about when they would get to see you!" He exclaimed dramatically, while still encasing Ichigo in the bear hug, Kenpachi's laughter not deterring him in the slightest.

"Damn it Goat Face let me go!" Ichigo complained, shoving at his father's bulky form, which he just knew was actually managing to hold back on his glee for the baby's sake thankfully. There was still far too much gushing involved in this reunion for Ichigo's tastes though. "I bring your granddaughter to meet you for the first time and this is how you behave?" He jabbed, knowing the news of Yachiru would cover any irritation that might have bled into his voice.

The statement had the effect of a brick to the face for the former Shinigami captain, his body stopping all motion, no sound emitted from him, and Ichigo was pretty sure he wasn't breathing either. "…Granddaughter?" He finally broke the tableau to ask, pulling away slightly from Ichigo to look at him pleadingly.

Ichigo gestured over his shoulder to Kenpachi, who had managed to wrangle Yachiru into a buzzing ball of energy up on his shoulders for the few moments it would take to get them introduced. "You think I would knock if it was just me? I brought some people to meet you, well meet you for what they mean to me anyway."

"Did Kisuke pass my message along?" Isshin asked pleasantly, once his focus had been successfully redirected to the pair standing behind his son; although if it wouldn't have interrupted their bonding moment Ichigo would have gladly pointed out Isshin was still clinging to him.

"About that, I still have issues with the two of you treating me like I'm a damsel in distress," Ichigo muttered as Kenpachi's laughter once again thundered around him, as he reassured Isshin the message had been received loud and clear.

"Mommy! I'm bored, where'd all the candy go?" Yachiru had finally gotten fed up of standing in the doorway and made her impatience known. She could wait, it wasn't that she didn't have patience at all, but there had to be something worthwhile for her to do it; like watching her father's battle each other for the hours on end they used to. She was secretly ecstatic about this meeting, she had a family, a real family, now if she drew attention to herself it would speed up getting to see them.

Well, her plan worked, Isshin spied the tiny pink haired girl, put two and two together and soon had his arms full of giggling Shinigami, swinging her around like he used to do to Karin and Yuzu. The noise of which summoned the aforementioned girls, who arrived at the scene soon after and looked on in a mixture of confusion and amusement.

Karin was the first one to take her eyes away long enough to see Ichigo and Kenpachi standing there, "Ichi!" She called, launching herself at her brother in a tight hug, not caring about the intimidating man's presence. She had been worried about her brother and her nephew, as weird as the situation had been to the twins when it was broken to them, they had taken to it quickly due to the utter devotion they had to their big brother. Yuzu mirrored her twin's actions a heartbeat later, Ichigo had braced himself and was prepared for the extra addition, hugging them both back. "It's good to see you guys," He greeted warmly, only shaking his head when he realized a hand from each of them had strayed to his stomach.

Yuzu squealed and there was a soft gasp of surprise from Karin when he moved their hands to where the baby was kicking, his son awake and letting him know it.

From there they settled in the living room, Ichigo with a sister on each side of him, neither one removing their hands, Kenpachi holding up surprisingly well under the creepily underhanded threats he was getting from Isshin, only blanching occasionally at a particularly violent one.

As for Yachiru, she went from person to person chattering away, her cheerful hyperactivity causing Isshin to snatch her up and cuddle her randomly. His own children were too big and would protest violently, okay very violently, whenever he tried to be this affectionate with them, this little girl raised by Ichigo's lover was exactly what he had been looking for.

Especially when the girl got it in her head to climb all over the heavily scarred warrior, turning the mountain of muscle into playground equipment, it relaxed the anxiety that had been building in his heart ever since Ichigo had revealed exactly who he had chosen as his partner. A parent always wanted to know their children were safe, and Ichigo was going to be learning that lesson soon.

It was late, Ichigo was getting tired, and Yachiru had passed out across Kenpachi's broad arm from a sugar crash; when they felt it was time to head back to Soul Society. It wouldn't be a clean get away though. Kenpachi had been welcome enough, but now was the telling part, and Yuzu was first as she got up from the couch where she had been curled against her brother, stretching cutely.

She made her way over to Yachiru and Kenpachi, to gently brush a bit of Yachiru's bangs away from her face, "You make Ichi very happy, please make sure he stays that way? He spent so long taking care of us, he forgot how to smile, but he has finally remembered. Don't let him forget again?" She requested, voice soft and faraway, addressing Kenpachi but her eyes were on Yachiru's sleeping face as she spoke.

Kenpachi found his usually cockiness melting away in her presence, his heart laid bear, and he understood exactly what Toshiro had meant by Yuzu had far more protectors than she knew about. He would bet good money there were hardened warriors who would give their life for this girl after hearing her speak like that, she was so genuine and faithful it nearly burned to be in her presence with any measure of bravado. She stripped a person raw, but in a way that made you not care, and wish for her to put the pieces back together again, such an odd feeling. "Ichigo is happy cause he is free, I don't make him be any more or any less than who he is. It is his choice tah stay, and cause he does I get tah see him happy. I can't promise yah everything yah ask of me, but if Ichigo stays with me he will always be free."

Yuzu nodded in acceptance as she stroked Yachiru's hair one more time, "Good." She approved. "My nephew needs a happy home, and Ichi's smiles are always the best for that even if he didn't do it very often."

"Your nephew is going to be spoiled rotten," Ichigo interrupted with a smile on his face as if to confirm exactly what Yuzu and Kenpachi had just been talking about. "There are so many people waiting for him it isn't even funny, I doubt I'm going to get to hold him more than once before he is a month old the line is so long!"

Yuzu threw her arms around her brother's neck, letting out a giggle at the image, "Yea, it's about time someone realized how special our Ichi was! We better be at the front of the line though Ichi!" She pouted and warned, pulling away slightly to add a glare to her warning.

Ichigo couldn't hold the laugh back at the adorable image of his littlest sister telling him off, "Of course, my family will be the first to see him." Ichigo promised, his smirk turning devious as he tickled her. He knew she wouldn't retaliate under the circumstances.

Kenpachi had been so caught up in watching those two, he almost hadn't noticed the third person sneaking up on him, almost being the operative word. He kept himself still, and waited to see what she would do, and it didn't turn out to be what he expected as she flicked one of the bells in his hair, and then another. A random pattern of sound following her fingers as she casually flicked them, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "You raised this girl? Yachiru." She finally asked, looking at the slumbering lieutenant.

He nodded, a hint of his usual grin on his lips in a minor challenge; just where was she going with this? He was intrigued with Karin that was sure, even as he felt the urge to defend the other, Yuzu, with everything he had; it was unlike anything he had felt before.

"Is she your daughter?" The question appeared simple, but it sure packed a punch, taking Kenpachi's breath away.

He was glad he had taken Ichigo's advice and spoken to Toshiro so had a bit of a heads-up about Karin. "Close enough fer us." Kenpachi wasn't hedging, Yachiru and him had never bothered to put a name to the relationship, but she might as well be his daughter for all that they had been through.

Karin's sharp gaze bore into Kenpachi for a moment, before flickering between the now grim faced Ichigo and Yachiru's sprawled form in the giant Captain's lap. "Ichigo has claimed her as family, he is not doing it in name only, everything Ichi does is for a reason whether other people know it or not. If he has gone that far, then it means he is sure Yachiru will not be taken from him, she is going to stay. It means he believes you see her the same way, or deeper, as he does. You want my approval? Start with her." Karin ordered gesturing to Yachiru, "I think you are missing something right in front of your eyes."

"So I gotta prove somethin to yah?" Kenpachi asked for confirmation.

Karin shook her head, her smirk a mirror of her brother's adding to the game, "It isn't me you have something to prove to, but that is the only hint you are getting. Now Ichi is starting to look really tired, get him home, take care of him, and figure out what I said and you'll realize I am only doing what's right." Karin affirmed.

The rumbling chuckle served to make Yachiru stir and toss around a bit her sleep as Kenpachi stood, but she drifted right back off. Should have known this would happen at some point with the massive amount of sugar she had consumed and then the abrupt cut off, oh well, it was adorable. "Yah gotta deal." Kenpachi agreed, grin widening a bit as her smirk fell in response to his confidence. She was too much like her brother for him not to know how to handle at least some of her moods.

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief as the tense moment was over. At least for now he could relax, that was until Kenpachi started to puzzle out what Karin was getting at, he had his suspicions, but this was Kenpachi's challenge not his.

Isshin was waiting at the door to let them out, he had already threatened Kenpachi enough so he simply said, "I trust my boy to make the right choices, and he has chosen you. Take care of each other okay?" He directed this to both of them, and to the sleeping girl.

"Of course we will take care of each other Goat Face, that's what families do." Ichigo replied, enduring the goodbye hug before gaining his freedom and a breath of fresh night air.

Kenpachi was a bit too stunned to move, and Isshin realized the problem, "This is the first time you realized you and him were building a family isn't it?" A faint nod was his response, not even enough to set off the bells in his hair.

Not afraid, Kenpachi admitted, "I don't know what a family is, I never had one."

"Yachiru?" Isshin left it hanging.

"She's mine," He claimed immediately, "But we never needed tah use words for it."

Looking out the open door to where his son was gazing up at the stars letting the light breeze cool his face, Isshin commented quietly, "I think you might have to get used to words."


End file.
